The Nigerian military has postponed for a fourth time the ruling in a General Court Martial over an alleged coup plot involving officers accused of seeking to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The decision, previously set for Wednesday, September 30, 2026, will now be delivered on Monday, October 5, 2026. According to a notice issued to members of the court and other parties, the sitting will begin at 10 a.m. at the Scorpion Officers’ Mess in Asokoro, Abuja.
The notice, signed by Major M.U. Ardo, the liaison officer, offered no reason for the latest delay and expressed regret for any inconvenience.
The ruling is expected to decide whether statements allegedly obtained from some of the accused officers can be admitted as evidence. The court conducted a trial-within-a-trial after defence lawyers challenged the statements’ admissibility.
Defence counsel argued that the statements failed to meet legal requirements under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act. They alleged that officers of the Defence Intelligence Agency coerced some of the accused into making or reproducing statements containing false information, that lawyers or witnesses chosen by the officers were absent when the statements were taken, that no video recordings of the process existed, and that the officers were not properly cautioned or informed of their rights.
The prosecution presented evidence aimed at showing the statements were made voluntarily and without improper pressure.
Some of the accused officers gave evidence alleging coercion, intimidation, inducement and physical abuse during detention. They claimed they were led to believe that reproducing certain statements would secure their release, that intelligence officials had prepared the documents in advance, and that they were compelled to copy or sign them despite having no knowledge of some of the contents. Several said they did not originate or write the statements attributed to them.
Air Vice Marshal H.I. Alhaji of the Nigerian Air Force is presiding over the General Court Martial. The court’s determination on the disputed statements will decide whether that evidence can be relied upon as the proceedings continue.
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