A Nigerian Army lance corporal has told a court that soldiers handcuffed and blindfolded him in Enugu, drove him to Abuja and later pressed him to implicate a warrant officer in an alleged coup plot, even after an officer allegedly said there was no evidence linking him to the scheme.
Lance Corporal Sambo Danladi, an Infantry Corps soldier based in Enugu, gave the account during his examination-in-chief on September 10, 2025. He said the episode began on October 26, 2025, while he was on a special assignment.
Danladi said he arrived at a car park and was approached by soldiers who told him the General Officer Commanding wanted to see him. They said the matter was official and that his commander already knew. He said he entered their vehicle and was then handcuffed and blindfolded before being taken to Abuja. He later learned the destination was the Defence Intelligence Agency.
The following day, October 27, a man he later identified as Captain Ukpong entered his room, photographed him and collected his biodata, Army number, particulars and home address, Danladi told the court. Later that day, Lieutenant Chima woke him, asked who he was and whether he knew why he was there, and told him he was at the DIA in Abuja. Danladi said he did not know.
Chima asked him to cooperate with investigators and questioned him about Warrant Officer Nasiru and a person identified as Maaji. Danladi said he did not know Maaji. Asked about his connection to Nasiru, he said Nasiru was on pass.
On October 28, Danladi said Chima and Ukpong returned and asked about his relationship with Nasiru. They asked whether he knew Nasiru was a coup plotter. He said he did not. They asked what work Nasiru had given him “on the coup plot.” He said he knew of none.
According to Danladi, Ukpong then said the authorities knew there was nothing connecting him to such a plot and that he had been brought in because of his closeness to Nasiru, and that he would be expected to testify against him. Danladi said he replied that he knew nothing and could not testify about what he did not know.
He said he asked to call his wife so she would not worry. Ukpong said he would tell the authorities. Ukpong later returned and said Danladi would be released that day if he implicated the warrant officer. Danladi said the captain invoked Army core values and told him that, as a lance corporal, he would not be implicated if he agreed to testify.
Danladi said he asked to contact his wife or brother so they could arrange a lawyer. He alleged Ukpong refused, saying there was no need because he would be released and would only have to accept what he was told.
Ukpong later brought a typed document and told him to read and copy it, Danladi said. He told the court that the contents did not reflect what had happened and that the text also implicated him. He said Ukpong promised to exonerate him and that no one would look for him.
Danladi said he began copying the document. During that process, he was taken to Lance Corporal Nasiru and told to repeat what investigators had promised about release and exoneration. He then continued copying. Someone showed him where to sign, collected the original and later collected the typed statement.
He said he was then moved to another facility he later identified as the IMC and had remained detained there since. He alleged he slept without food on the night he arrived, was fed once on October 27 and once on October 28, and was not allowed to contact a lawyer or his wife.
Under cross-examination, Danladi said no one informed him of a right to a lawyer. Asked why he did not name counsel after his rights were explained, he replied: “Nobody told me right to a lawyer.”
Asked whether Lieutenant Chima had requested that he implicate “me,” he answered: “That is your testimony.” Asked whether anyone had solicited his cooperation, he said: “Still, that is your perspective; I was there. And I am here to testify what happened to me.”
He said he did not have the draft statement with him. Shown an exhibit, he said he saw two signatures on the first and second pages.
The testimony consists of Danladi’s allegations in court. The source material does not record findings by the court or responses from the officers named.
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