Coup Suspects Lose Eyesight And Lung Function as Families Allege Military Torture

Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.

A deepening humanitarian and legal crisis is unfolding within Nigeria’s military justice system as the wives of officers detained over an alleged coup plot accuse authorities of torture and medical neglect. The families allege that prolonged detention in secretive facilities has left several suspects with severe vision loss, respiratory illnesses, and untreated wounds. A Navy lieutenant commander is reportedly “almost blind,” and a soldier has died in custody. As the accused face a secretive court-martial, their loved ones have taken their desperate fight to the streets and the highest office in the land.

The saga began in October 2025, when the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) arrested over a dozen military personnel following what the government described as a foiled plot to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. Initial arrests involved 16 officers, but the net has since widened to include more than 40 suspects, including retired senior officers and civilians. Initially described as an investigation into “acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations,” the case was later publicly labeled a coup conspiracy with October 25, 2025, allegedly set as the planned date for the operation.

By early 2026, alarming reports began to surface regarding the health of the detainees. In January, sources revealed that at least five of the detained military officers being held at a DIA facility had become critically ill. Two of them reportedly collapsed after being moved into a dark, underground military cell. “About five of them are critically sick and two of them collapsed last week. Till now, some of them are keeping mum,” a military source told SaharaReporters. The officers’ families expressed profound distress, alleging they were kept completely in the dark about their loved ones’ whereabouts. “We have been denied access to them since their arrest. We can’t say this was where they were moved to,” one relative lamented. Another wife said plans were underway to protest, demanding: “We want to go and ask if our husbands are still alive”.

The families’ anguish has been met with fierce advocacy. In April 2026, children and wives of the detained officers staged a deeply emotional protest at the National Assembly, holding placards with heart-wrenching inscriptions such as “Don’t Kill Our Daddies,” “Detention Without Trial is Injustice,” and “Six Months of Torture: Enough Is Enough”. Eight-year-old Halima Mohammed, daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Almakura, tearfully pleaded, “Please don’t kill our daddy. We want justice for him”. The protest coincided with an urgent appeal to the nation’s leadership, accompanied by human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju and activist Omoyele Sowore, demanding an open trial and access for legal counsel.

The most harrowing allegations of physical abuse and medical neglect have centered on the prolonged detention of the suspects. In April 2026, a top security source disclosed a devastating development: Lieutenant Commander Abdullahi, one of the detainees, is “going blind due to alleged torture.”“Lieutenant Commander Abdullahi is almost blind,” the source confirmed, adding that the officers are being held in facilities described as “dungeons” with severely limited access to medical care, hygiene, and basic necessities. The insider further alleged that many of the detained personnel are suffering from various health complications. “Most of them have rashes on their bodies. Their living conditions are getting terrible,” the source added.

In a separate incident that has sparked further outrage, a soldier, Corporal Bala Hudu, died in the custody of the 8 Division Provost Group Detention Facility in Sokoto in April. While the Army initially claimed he died of complications from pre-existing conditions like high blood pressure, a report obtained by SaharaReporters painted a grim picture of medical neglect. According to the report, Hudu and other detainees attempted to seek medical attention on April 4 but were turned away by the medical commander. As his condition worsened, requests for help were allegedly ignored, with one source claiming that when Hudu gave money to military police to buy medication, they refused, calling it “self-medication”. He was only taken to the hospital on April 16 after “aggressive actions” by other detainees and was confirmed dead the following day. The Army has denied any torture and ordered an inquiry, but the family and human rights groups have rejected the narrative.

Adding to the controversy, the General Court Martial convened by the Defence Headquarters has been shrouded in secrecy and accusations of illegality. It was reported that the military began a secret trial for the 36 personnel despite not officially serving formal charges on them. Reports from inside the proceedings described a chilling scene: accused officers were brought before the court in leg chains, displaying visible signs of physical abuse, including untreated infections and deteriorating health conditions. A particularly damning detail fueling suspicion of a fix is that the court-martial panel refused to disqualify officers who are themselves accused by the defendants of supervising or enabling torture during the investigation phase. “The same individuals accused of supervising or enabling torture are now part of the system determining the fate of these officers,” a source revealed, raising serious questions about justice and impartiality.

Fearing a predetermined outcome, the wives of the detained officers have escalated their appeal directly to President Tinubu. In a formal letter signed by 12 spouses, they begged the Commander-in-Chief to intervene and ensure a transparent process. “No confession extracted through fear, torture, or inhumane treatment should become the foundation upon which lives, careers, and families are destroyed,” the letter read. They warned against a repeat of past controversial military trials that became “subjects of national regret” due to claims of wrongful prosecution. In a twist, the letter specifically referenced the trial of the detained soldiers as a test of the president’s fairness, noting that some of the military officers standing trial are from the President’s own ethnic group, the Yoruba tribe. This strategic appeal by the spouses seems designed to counter any narrative of ethnically motivated persecution and to present the case as a fundamental test of justice for all Nigerians, regardless of origin.

The government has maintained a firm stance. Defence Minister, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), has described the alleged plotters as “a bunch of confused junior officers” who had no reason to act against the state. He has assured the public that the prosecution will be transparent. Meanwhile, President Tinubu is seeking re-election in January 2027. The political stakes are high, and the case has become a focal point for opposition and civil society, who accuse the administration of using security concerns as a pretext to silence dissent within the ranks. As the suspected plotters sit in the “dungeons” of Abuja, the world waits to see if the scales of justice will balance security with humanity.

📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com ✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews