Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has urged Nigerian military authorities to either formally charge or immediately release military officers detained over an alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Falana insisted that the continued detention of the officers without access to legal counsel or family members violates the Nigerian Constitution, the Armed Forces Act, and international human rights standards to which Nigeria is a signatory.

In a statement, the senior lawyer stressed that although he is firmly opposed to any form of unconstitutional change of government, respect for the rule of law must not be sacrificed under any circumstances. He warned that prolonged incommunicado detention undermines democratic principles and due process.

According to Falana, Nigerian authorities are legally bound to respect the rights of the detained officers, noting that they remain presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The controversy dates back to October 18, 2025, when SaharaReporters reported that several senior military officers had been arrested over an alleged plot to overthrow the Tinubu administration. The report later revealed that 16 officers were initially detained.

The report triggered widespread concern nationwide but was swiftly denied by military authorities. At the time, the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, dismissed the coup plot claims, describing the arrests as part of a routine internal military exercise.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to inform the public that a routine military exercise has resulted in the arrest of sixteen officers over issues of indiscipline and breach of service regulations,” Gusau said.

He explained that investigations linked the officers’ grievances to internal issues such as perceived career stagnation due to repeated failures in promotion examinations. He added that some of the officers were already under military jurisdiction for various disciplinary offences and that their conduct fell short of military standards.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, also backed the military’s position, describing the coup plot reports as fake and unfounded. He said the Federal Government had full confidence in the Armed Forces and commended them for their role in securing the country.

However, fresh reports later emerged suggesting that an additional 15 officers of various ranks had been arrested in connection with the alleged plot, bringing the total number of detained officers to over 40.

The situation further raised concern when names of some detained officers appeared in the media, alongside claims that certain individuals allegedly linked to the plot were still at large.

Falana noted that despite repeated official denials, credible information indicates that the officers were investigated for alleged involvement in the rumoured coup plot. He described as disturbing reports from families and legal representatives who claimed they had been denied access to the detainees for nearly three months.

“It is pertinent to point out that the authorities are under a legal obligation to respect the human rights of the detained military officers since they are presumed innocent until the contrary is proved by the State,” Falana said.

He warned that holding officers without charge for months violates both domestic and international law. While reiterating his opposition to coups, Falana maintained that due process remains non-negotiable in a democratic society.

“If there is prima facie evidence that they plotted to overthrow the government, they should be arraigned before special or general courts-martial in line with the Armed Forces Act and the Nigerian Constitution,” he said.