THE Nigerian military has inaugurated a general court-martial to try 36 personnel accused of involvement in an alleged plot to overthrow the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
News Point Nigeria reports that the court-martial, constituted by the Defence Headquarters, was inaugurated on Friday at the Scorpion Mess in Asokoro, Abuja, under tight security, with proceedings conducted behind closed doors despite the high-profile nature of the case.
Journalists, including accredited defence correspondents who had earlier received invitations, were denied access to the venue. Security personnel also prohibited the use of mobile phones to document proceedings, including the arrival of the defendants.
The 36 accused personnel were transported to the venue in an Army Headquarters Garrison bus at about 8:53am as security operatives maintained strict control of the area.
The military trial is unfolding alongside parallel criminal proceedings instituted by the Federal Government at the Federal High Court in Abuja over the same alleged plot.
Earlier, on April 22, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, arraigned a separate group of suspects before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik in connection with the alleged conspiracy.
The group, which includes retired military officers, a police inspector, and civilians, pleaded not guilty to a 13-count charge bordering on treason, terrorism, and money laundering.
According to the prosecution, the suspects allegedly conspired in 2025 to overthrow the government and failed to report the plot to the appropriate authorities.
Following their arraignment, the court ordered that they be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), with an accelerated hearing scheduled for April 27.
The development has triggered significant legal debate, particularly over the decision to pursue separate trials in military and civilian courts for related offences.
Renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has called on the Attorney-General to invoke Section 174 of the Constitution to discontinue the military proceedings and consolidate all cases before the Federal High Court.
Falana argued that under Section 251 of the Constitution, offences such as treason and terrorism fall exclusively within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court.
He questioned the legal consistency of prosecuting some suspects in a civilian court while subjecting others to a military tribunal for the same alleged offences.
“Courts-martial lack the jurisdiction to handle such grave constitutional offences,” Falana stated, noting that even during previous military regimes, coup-related cases were typically handled by special tribunals rather than conventional courts-martial.
The military had earlier disclosed that the alleged coup plot was uncovered through internal intelligence operations, which led to the arrest of the suspects.
Meanwhile, families of the accused, alongside activist Omoyele Sowore, have joined calls for a transparent, civilian-led trial to ensure that the fundamental rights of the defendants are protected.