How court martial dey work for civilian govment and wetin go happun to Nigerian coup plotters

Defence Headquarters for Nigeria finally agree say some military officers plan coup to overthrow di govment of President Bola Tinubu.

Plenty Nigerians go dey watch well how govment go punish di soldiers wey dem arrest for attempted coup last year.

Dis mata include how court martial dey work, especially as Nigeria no dey under military rule again.

For di time of military govment, soldiers wey try coup and fail, if dem catch dem, military govment fit sentence dem to death.

But wetin plenty Nigerians dey ask now be say: wetin be court martial, how e dey work, and wetin be di fate of dose wey dem arrest for alleged coup attempt for Nigeria last year?

BBC News Pidgin follow one former Nigerian military pesin, Sani Kukasheka, wey explain how court martial dey work under civilian govment.

"A court martial na like State High Court. If you no satisfied wit di judgement, you fit go Appeal Court, even though di judgement still need confirmation from di Army Council," Kukasheka tok.

Kukasheka add say court martial dey mainly for trial of military personnel wey dey under both military law and civil law, as citizens of di kontri.

"Di court martial dey constitutional and e get power to try offences and give punishment, from reduction of rank, dismissal, jail sentence, and even death sentence," Kukasheka tok.

E also add say anybodi wey dem accuse and dey face trial must get defence lawyer for court martial, depending on di case.

As for di fate of di coup plotters, Kukasheka tok say na only di court get power to decide if dem find dem guilty or not.

"Na only issue of confirmation remain, wey legal experts go determine. Na di facts on ground go decide if dis pipo wey dey stand trial guilty or not."

Anoda civilian legal expert, Barrister Umar Bala, also tok about di mata to BBC News Pidgin. E say court martial dey legal and e get power to try any military psin wey commit offence.

"A court martial na military court wey law allow, and e dey try armed forces personnel for breach of military discipline, serious offences, or violation of military law," e tok.

E add say dose wey dem arrest for alleged coup attempt, if court confam say dem guilty, court fit sentence dem.

"Dose pipo wey dem accuse of coup attempt for Nigeria, if court find dem guilty, di court fit sentence dem to death, bicos treason na one of di biggest offences," e tok.

Identity of di officers unknown

Di Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) on Monday 26 January say dem don finish dia investigation on di 16 officers wey dem arrest for October, 2025 ova di plot to overthrown di govment.

Inside one statement on Monday, Director of defence information, Major General Samalia Uba tok say dem don carry out investigations and submit dia findings to "superior authority in line wit extant regulations."

Though e no mention dia names, di defence tok-tok pesin say dem don identify some of di officers wey get plans to overthrown di govment and dis kain actions no dey align with di ethics, values, and professional standards wey dey required from members of di Armed Forces of Nigeria.

"Di findings don identify some of di officers wey get allegations say dem dey plot to overthrow di govment, wey dey inconsistent wit di ethics, values and professional standards required of members of AFN," di statement tok.

E tok say dem go carry di mata go military judicial panel wia dem go make sure to discipline dem "in accordance wit di Armed Forces Act and oda applicable service regulations."

"Di AFN reiterate say measures wey dem take na purely disciplinary and part of ongoing institutional mechanisms to preserve order, discipline and operational effectiveness within di ranks. Di Armed Forces go continue to uphold di highest standards of professionalism, loyalty and respect for constitutional authority," di statement tok.

Nigeria militay bin deny di failed militay coup

Di military on 4 October 2025, bin tok say dem arrest 16 officers for mata wey concern 'indiscipline and breach of service regulations' but deny any link to di attempted coup and dismissal of dis officers.

Di presidency also deny any coup attempt in di kontri even afta reports bin link di failed coup to di cancellation of October 1 Independence Day Parade by di president.

On 1 October, 2025, di annual national parade no happun but tori bin come out say di Nigeria military dismiss 16 military officers, ranging from di rank of Captain to Brigadier General.

Di tori tok say di dismissed officers dey plan coup against di govment but di military deny am.

Instead di military tok say dem arrest 16 officers becos of indiscipline and breach of service rules.

"Investigation don show say dia grievances dey mainly from career stagnation wey come from repeated failure for promotion examinations," di tok-tok pesin, Tukur Gusau tok.

"Some of di officers wey dem arrest don dey face different offences, some dey wait trial, some dey undergo trial. Dia conduct no dey compatible wit di standard of military service.

"Afta di investigation don finish, di officers wey dem find guilty go face di full military disciplinary process according to di established procedures to ensure accountability and preserve professionalism within di Armed Forces," e tok

Later for October, di military replace some top officials although President Bola Tinubu claim say im change di hierarchy to further strengthen di nation security but di govment still no link am to di attempted coup.

"I don approve changes in di hierarchy of our armed forces to further strengthen Nigeria national security architecture," President Bola Tinubu tok inside one statement for October 2025.