Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A letter bearing the names of 12 women, addressed to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has made public the private torment of families caught in the machinery of a high-stakes military prosecution. The signatories—wives of military officers detained over an alleged coup plot—have appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure fairness and transparency in the ongoing trial, warning that a conviction based on coercion would repeat past errors that Nigerians have since come to regret. The letter, exclusively obtained by The PUNCH and published on Monday, May 25, 2026, also raised questions about the nature of the evidence and the conditions of the accused.
In the correspondence, titled “A Humble Appeal for Fairness, Transparency, and Justice in the Ongoing Military Trial,” the women acknowledged President Tinubu’s approval for the commencement of the military trial as “an important step toward accountability,” but expressed fears that the process could be undermined by bias, coercion, and institutional prejudice. They stressed that while the allegations are grave, the integrity of the process must remain just and transparent. “We also recognise that allegations relating to mutiny, coup plotting, or acts capable of undermining military authority are grave matters that must never be treated lightly,” the letter read. “However, it is precisely because of the seriousness of these allegations that the process through which justice is pursued must itself remain just, transparent, impartial, and free from every appearance of prejudice”.
The wives referenced past controversial military trials in Nigeria as a warning. “From past allegations of ‘phantom coups’ to disputed dismissals and prolonged detentions of officers, many Nigerians have witnessed instances where prosecution appeared, in the eyes of the public, to drift dangerously toward persecution,” the letter said. This statement suggests a direct parallel to well-known historical events, where the line between legitimate prosecution and politically motivated persecution was blurred.
The letter also directly addressed the methods being used to build the case against their husbands. “The prolonged detention of the accused officers, the reports of inhumane treatment, and concerns that the case relies heavily on statements allegedly obtained under coercion and severe pressure have raised serious questions in the minds of many Nigerians,” the women stated. They warned that any confession extracted through fear, torture, or inhumane treatment should not be used as the foundation for judgment, as it would destroy the moral authority of justice.
The officers were first arrested in October 2025. At the time, the military alleged they were part of a secret network that had begun planning a coup, which included surveilling key national assets such as the Presidential Villa, the Armed Forces Complex, and major airports, with October 25, 2025, scheduled as the planned date for the operation. While initial reports claimed that N12 billion was found in an officer’s account, the families have alleged that the official narrative has since shifted. “The initial narrative reported by the media is that N12 billion was found in the account of one of the officers. Now, the story has changed completely. The figure is now said to be N835 million, and it is no longer found in the officer’s account but in a company account,” the families said, pointing to what they described as inconsistencies in the official case.
The wives’ appeal comes at a critical juncture in the judicial proceedings. Just two weeks ago, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja admitted extra-judicial statements and video recordings as exhibits in the ongoing trial involving six suspects accused of plotting the coup. However, the defendants have challenged the admissibility of these statements, alleging they were obtained through coercion and torture, prompting the court to order a trial-within-trial to determine their voluntariness under the law. The six defendants include retired Major-General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Navy Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, police inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Presidential Villa electrician Umoru Zekeri, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Islamic cleric Sheikh Abdulkadir Sani.
Despite the gravity of the allegations, the wives have urged the President, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief, to ensure that “no individual should be convicted without independently verifiable evidence,” and that “Nigerians should never have to fear persecution disguised as prosecution”. Their appeal has been backed by rights activists. Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore have accompanied the families at press briefings, with Sowore arguing that “some military officials are only trying to buy the loyalty of the President” through the trial.
“These are families of officers who have spent over 160 days in detention without trial. They are not asking for favours; they are asking for constitutional rights,” Adeyanju said. The wives’ appeal, published on the same day their letter was made public, is a stark reminder that as the wheels of military justice turn, the families left behind are watching, waiting, and demanding that the scales not be tipped by fear or coercion.
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