By Ayomide Otitoju
Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore joined the wives of detained Nigerian military officers on Friday in Abuja to demand that authorities either formally charge the officers over an alleged coup plot or release them.
The protest comes amid heightened concern over the prolonged detention of at least 16 senior officers accused of plotting to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu. The officers were initially detained following allegations of involvement in a coup attempt.
Protesters, largely women, carried placards in the Federal Capital Territory, calling on the government to ensure due process. They were accompanied by Sowore and lawyer-activist Deji Adeyanju.
During a briefing, the wives stressed they were seeking justice and transparency, not special treatment. “Charge our husbands to court if there is evidence, but if there is none, let them go free,” one wife said. “For more than five months, our families have lived with uncertainty, fear, and unanswered questions.”
The families also criticised what they described as “trial by media” and intimidation by military personnel. They noted inconsistencies in the allegations against the officers, including conflicting reports about discovered funds, which initially cited $12 billion but later were revised to $835 million in a company account.
“At first, the officers were reportedly arrested for indiscipline. Later, the allegation became conspiracy to commit a coup d’état. We respectfully ask what changed,” the families said. They called on the military to allow them access to their detained relatives to confirm their safety.
The military initially described the arrests as related to disciplinary issues, but security sources later linked them to a suspected plot against the government. Investigations reportedly conducted by the Defence Intelligence Agency and the Department of State Services led to confirmation in January 2026 that a coup plot had been uncovered.
The detained officers are expected to face a military judicial panel, or court-martial, for formal trial. As of Friday, the military had not issued an official response to the families’ protest.
