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Nigeria’s subject volition effort respective officers implicit an alleged program to oust President Bola Tinubu past year, it said connected Monday (January 26, 2026), acknowledging a crippled the authorities had initially denied.
In October, the subject said 16 officers had been arrested implicit “issues of indiscipline”.
Despite authoritative denials, sources crossed the Nigerian Government and subject had told AFP they were arrested implicit a coup plot.
If successful, this would person brought an extremity to a quarter-century of ideology successful Africa’s astir populous country.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) wishes to pass the wide nationalist that investigations into the substance person been concluded,” Major General Samaila Uba, a spokesperson for the Defence Headquarters, said successful a connection connected Monday (January 26).
“The findings person identified a fig of the officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government,” helium said.
“Those with cases to reply volition beryllium formally arraigned earlier due subject judicial sheet to look trial.”
No day was fixed for the trials. The officers could look the decease punishment if recovered guilty, according to ineligible experts.
Shortly aft denying the alleged coup plot, Tinubu reshuffled the country’s apical subject brass.
A elder medication authoritative told AFP astatine the time: “Normally erstwhile specified a happening happens, it means determination is simply a spread successful intelligence. No person would judge that.”
General Christopher Musa was dropped arsenic main of defence unit successful the shuffle, though helium has since travel backmost arsenic defence minister.
Government denials
The westbound African state has seen respective subject takeovers successful its past and spent overmuch of the 20th period nether junta regularisation aft its independency from Britain.
It transitioned to civilian regularisation successful 1999 and has had a antiauthoritarian authorities since.
Hints of the matter archetypal became nationalist erstwhile Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters issued a connection connected October 4 connected the apprehension of 16 officers, connected what it said were cases of indiscipline and perceived vocation stagnation.
Reports of a foiled coup aboriginal appeared successful the Nigerian press.
News astir the alleged crippled faded from presumption amid beardown authorities denials and arsenic the state was swept up successful a diplomatic situation arsenic U.S. President Donald Trump criticised Nigeria for allegedly not doing capable to support Christians from violence.
The Nigerian subject is warring a long-running insurgency against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province successful the northeast.
While the unit has waned since its highest a decennary ago, attacks continue, including deadly assaults connected subject bases, seemingly with nary extremity successful sight.
Analysts warned of a emergence successful unit successful 2025, portion troops person astatine times reported unpaid wages and mediocre conditions.
The subject is stretched bladed connected different fronts arsenic well, including warring equipped gangs known arsenic “bandits” successful the northwest that kidnap for ransom, and separatists successful the southeast.
The United States has since launched associated strikes against Islamic State Sahel Province militants successful the northwest and pledged accrued quality sharing to assistance Nigeria transportation retired aerial strikes crossed the north.
