Coup Trial: Again, Court Martial Defers Ruling, Fixes October 5

The General Court Martial sitting over the alleged coup plot involving some Nigerian military officers has again deferred its ruling on the admissibility of statements made by the accused persons.

The ruling, initially scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, 2026, has now been fixed for Monday, October 5, at 10am.

The court, presided over by Air Vice Marshal H.I. Alhaji of the Nigerian Air Force, sits at the Scorpion Officers’ Mess, Asokoro, Abuja.

A notice issued to members of the court and other concerned parties stated that the sitting earlier adjourned to September 30 had been postponed.

“The GCM sitting earlier adjourned to Wednesday, 30 September, 2026, has now been postponed to Monday, 5 October, 2026.

“The new sitting is scheduled to commence at 10 am at the Scorpion Officers’ Mess, Asokoro, Abuja,” the notice stated.

The notice, signed by the Liaison Officer, Maj. M.U. Ardo, did not disclose the reason for the postponement but expressed regret over the inconvenience caused.

Monday’s sitting will mark the fourth time the ruling has been deferred.

The ruling is expected to determine whether statements allegedly obtained from some of the accused officers can be admitted as evidence in the ongoing trial.

The defence had challenged the admissibility of the statements, alleging that some of the officers were coerced by officials of the Defence Intelligence Agency into making or reproducing statements containing information they described as false.

The dispute led to a trial-within-trial, during which the defence presented evidence challenging the circumstances under which the statements were obtained.

Defence lawyers argued that the statements failed to meet legal requirements for admissibility, alleging, among other things, that lawyers or witnesses selected by some of the accused were not present when the statements were made.

They also questioned the absence of video recordings showing some of the officers writing their statements in the presence of their chosen witnesses, as required under relevant provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

The defence further alleged that some of the accused officers were neither properly cautioned nor adequately informed of their rights before making the statements.

The prosecution, however, presented evidence seeking to establish that the statements were made voluntarily and without improper pressure.

During the trial-within-trial, some of the accused officers gave contrary accounts, alleging that they were subjected to coercion, intimidation, inducement and physical abuse while in detention.

Some alleged that they were made to believe that reproducing particular statements would facilitate their release, while others claimed that intelligence officials had already prepared statements which they were compelled to copy or sign.

The accused officers also alleged that some of the statements contained claims or admissions they considered false or unrelated to their knowledge.

The court’s ruling on the admissibility of the disputed statements will determine whether the prosecution can rely on them as part of its evidence in the ongoing proceedings.

The latest postponement further delays the determination of the key evidentiary dispute.

The officers are standing trial over allegations that they conspired to overthrow the government of President Bola Tinubu on October 1, 2025.

The accused have denied the allegations, while the trial has been marked by disputes over the circumstances surrounding the obtaining of some of their statements, including allegations of coercion and other forms of improper treatment.