Wives Of Detained Officers Beg Tinubu, Raise Alarm Over Alleged Coup Plot Trial

Wives of military officers detained over alleged coup-related offences have appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure fairness and transparency in the ongoing military trial involving their husbands.

The appeal was contained in a letter addressed to the President and titled “A Humble Appeal for Fairness, Transparency, and Justice in the Ongoing Military Trial.”

The correspondence, obtained by The PUNCH, was signed by several spouses of the detained officers.

In the letter, the women acknowledged Tinubu’s approval for the commencement of the military trial but expressed fears that the process could be undermined by bias, coercion and institutional prejudice.

“We also recognise that allegations relating to mutiny, coup plotting, or acts capable of undermining military authority are grave matters that must never be treated lightly,” the letter stated.

“However, it is precisely because of the seriousness of these allegations that the process through which justice is pursued must itself remain just, transparent, impartial, and free from every appearance of prejudice.”

The women referenced past controversial military trials in Nigeria, saying some later became subjects of national regret.

“From past allegations of ‘phantom coups’ to disputed dismissals and prolonged detentions of officers, many Nigerians have witnessed instances where prosecution appeared, in the eyes of the public, to drift dangerously toward persecution,” the letter added.

The families also alleged that the detained officers had been subjected to prolonged incarceration and inhumane treatment.

They further claimed that reports suggesting some confessional statements were obtained under coercion had deepened public concern over the integrity of the trial.

“The prolonged detention of the accused officers, the reports of inhumane treatment, and concerns that the case relies heavily on statements allegedly obtained under coercion and severe pressure have raised serious questions in the minds of many Nigerians,” the women stated.

The wives stressed that justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done.

According to them, no individual should be convicted without independently verifiable evidence.

“No confession extracted through fear, torture, or inhumane treatment should become the foundation upon which lives, careers, and families are destroyed,” the letter read.

“Justice loses its moral authority the moment it appears predetermined.”

The appeal comes shortly after a Federal High Court in Abuja admitted extra-judicial statements and video recordings as exhibits in the ongoing trial involving six suspects accused of plotting to overthrow the Tinubu administration.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik had ordered a trial-within-trial after the defendants challenged the admissibility of the statements, alleging coercion and torture.

The Federal Government is prosecuting retired Major-General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Navy Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, police inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Presidential Villa electrician Umoru Zekeri, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Islamic cleric Sheikh Abdulkadir Sani over alleged treason, terrorism and conspiracy to stage a coup.

The arrests of the officers were first announced on October 4, 2025, by the then Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau.

The military later alleged that investigations uncovered a clandestine network of officers who had begun preliminary planning for a coup.

According to reports, the alleged plot involved surveillance of key national facilities including the Presidential Villa, Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks and major airports, with October 25, 2025 allegedly fixed as the planned date for the operation.

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