Crime
Military Law: 16 Soldiers Face Death Penalty For Plotting Coup Against Tinubu
Military Law: 16 Soldiers Face Death Penalty For Plotting Coup Against Tinubu
Military Law: 16 Soldiers Face Death Penalty for Plotting Coup against Tinubu. No fewer than 16 serving officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces are set to face court-martial over allegations of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu, a charge that carries penalties ranging from life imprisonment to death under military law.
The development follows the conclusion of a high-level military investigation into the alleged plot, which reportedly began with arrests carried out in October 2025. The suspects, spanning ranks from captain to brigadier-general, were detained by the Defence Intelligence Agency and have remained in custody since then.
Military authorities confirmed this week that the investigative panel set up to examine the allegations has completed its work and submitted its findings to the appropriate authorities. The confirmation was given by Samaila Uba, a Major-General and Director of Defence Information.
In a statement, Uba said officers found to have cases to answer would be formally arraigned before a military judicial panel in line with the Armed Forces Act and other service regulations. He explained that the investigation followed established military procedures and examined all circumstances surrounding the conduct of the affected personnel.
According to the statement, the probe identified several officers whose actions were deemed inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. The military, he said, decided to make the outcome public in the interest of accountability, while still upholding fairness and due process.
Retired senior officers, speaking separately, said the gravity of the offence leaves little room for leniency under existing military law. They noted that attempted coups are classified as capital offences, with punishment prescribed as death unless mitigated by presidential clemency.
Speaking on the Development, Two Retired Officers, Gen. Bashir Adewinbi (Rtd) and Major Bashir Galma (Rtd), explained that the punishment for attempted coup is death in line with the Armed Forces Act of Nigeria. The duo said that, except the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Bola Tinubu, temper justice with mercy, there is no way the indicted officers can come out freely from the offence.
Gen. Adewinbi said, “The coup is a criminal offence in the military, and there are penalties for it. The military high command might have denied it for the first time for them to ascertain and conclude their investigations. “Is it real? Is it not real? Who are the people involved? Who are the actors? Now that they have concluded and submitted their report and the report has indicated that there was a coup attempt, that means, if there was a coup, everybody must be ready to face consequences for his or her actions.”
“There is no two ways about it. A coup in the military attracts the death penalty.”
“When you’re caught for a coup, the consequence is the death penalty. We have witnessed it so many times in Nigeria.
“However, the President can use his prerogative to take action on the type of punishment to give them, but the normal thing is death penalty to serve as a deterrence to others who are planning to truncate the democracy we are enjoying in Nigeria, because there is no need for any coup in Nigeria today.
“It is the duty of the military to protect the present democracy. We should not truncate democracy. Whoever has planned the coup should be made to pay for it. Not only the coup, but also all of these offenders like terrorists, bandits and other criminals.”
Military Law
“There must be a special court to try these people. That is the only way we can reduce terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria. Let’s take the bull by the horns. Let’s give them the right punishment because they see it as a way of making money.”
Major Galma said it is important for anybody joining the military to understand that he or she would be abiding by two laws, military laws and Nigeria’s constitution.
Nigeria has a long history of coup allegations and trials. Past military regimes imposed death sentences on officers accused of plotting against the government, including the execution of Major-General Mamman Vatsa and others in 1986.
During the 1990s, several senior officers and civilians were also jailed over alleged coup plots under the late General Sani Abacha.
EFCC Arraigns Former SKye Bank Chairman, Tunde Ayeni For N15.6b Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, May 4, 2026, arraigned a former Chairman, Board of Directors of the defunct Skye Bank Plc, Tunde Ayeni before Justice Jude Onwuzuruike of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, Apo, Abuja.
Ayeni was arraigned on a 17-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, misappropriation and conversion of investors’ funds to the tune N15,665,085,429 (Fifteen Billion, Six hundred and Sixty five Million, Eighty five thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty-nine Naira (N15,665,085,429).
Prosecution counsel E.E. Iheanacho, SAN, informed the court that the matter was slated for arraignment and prosecution ready for trial.
“We have before the court 17-count charge dated April 28, 2026, we humbly apply that the charge be read to the defendant”, he said.
Eereporter.com
Count three of the charge reads: “That you, Tunde Ayeni, whilst being the Chairman, Board of Directors of the defunct Skye Bank Plc between 21st of October, 2014 and 19th November, 2014 at Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court and having dominion over depositors funds domiciled in the defunct Skye bank Plc’s Suspense Account, committed criminal breach of trust when you dishonestly misappropriated the aggregate sum of Three billion, Two hundred and One million, Five Hundred and Thirty Five Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty Nine Naira, Forty two kobo(N3,201,535,429.42) by transferring same to Misa Limited’s account No: 1011295717 and 1011295718 domiciled with Zenith Bank in Violation of the Prudential Guidelines and other regulations and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 312 of the same Act.
Count five of the charge reads: “That you Tunde Ayeni, whilst being the Chairman, Board of Directors of the Defunct Skye Bank Plc on or about 27th November, 2014, at Abuja within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court and having dominion over depositors’ funds domiciled in the defunct Skye bank Plc’s Suspense Account, committed criminal breach of trust when you dishonestly misappropriated the sum of Five Billion, Seventy Eight million, Five hundred and Fifty thousand Naira(N5, 078,550,000) by transferring same to Union Registrar Limited’s Account No: 0003490559 domiciled with Union Bank in violation of the Prudential Guidelines and other Regulations and thereby Committed an offence contrary to Section 311 of the Penal Code and Punishable under Section 312 of same Act.”
Fraud
Ayeni pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.
In view of his “not guilty” plea, Iheanacho prayed the court for a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in a Correctional Centre.
Defence counsel, Ahmed Raji Bashir, SAN, informed the court that the charge was given to the defendant on a public holiday adding that he considered it imperative to inform the court. He also prayed the court to release the defendant to him or return him to the custody of the EFCC.
Justice Onwuzuruike adjourned the matter to May 13, 2026, for hearing of the bail application, while the defendant was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending determination of bail application.
EFCC Arraigns Fake BDC Operator For Alleged N78. 2m Fraud In Onitsha
The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned one Okeke Ejike Callistus, a fake Bureau De Change operator before Justice D. A. Onyefulu of the Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha, Anambra State.
Callistus was arraigned on a ten-count charge bordering on forgery and stealing to the tune of N78, 295, 000 (Seventy-eight million, Two hundred and Ninety-five thousand Naira).
Count one of the charge reads: “Mr. Okeke Ejike Callistus (trading under the name and style of Nwachimereze Amen Resources), sometime on the 2nd of May, 2024, at Onitsha, within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Anambra State, did commit a felony to wit: stealing by fraudulently converting to your personal use the sum of N62, 745, 000. 00 (Sixty-two million, Seven hundred and Forty-five thousand Naira) being property of Ezegwu Leonard Chinedu trading under the name and style of Leatez Enterprises and thereby committed an offence”.
Eereporter.com
Count two of the charge reads: “That you, Okeke Ejike Callistus (trading under the name and style of Nwachimereze Amen Resources), sometime between the 3rd to the 7th of May, 2024 at Onitsha, within the jurisdiction of the High Court of Anambra State, did commit a felony to wit: stealing by fraudulently converting to your personal use the sum of N15, 550, 000. 00 (Fifteen million, Five hundred and Fifty thousand Naira) being property of Ezegwu Leonard Chinedu and thereby committed an offence”.
The offence contravenes Section 342 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 36, Anambra State and punishable under Section 353 (12) of the same Law.
The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred against him by the Commission and in view of his plea, counsel to the EFCC, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Rotimi Enitan Ajobiewe prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded at the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
However, defence counsel, Hypolite Ohaneche informed the court about a pending bail application before it, moved it and prayed the court to admit his client to bail.
Ajobiewe opposed the bail application on the ground that “there is likelihood of the defendant jumping bail due to the fact that he previously jumped bail granted him by the Commission”.
After listening to both sides, Justice Onyefulu granted the defendant bail in the sum of N50million with two sureties. One of them must have a tax clearance certificate. The sureties must be related to the defendant, live within the jurisdiction of the court and have a National identification Number.
EFCC
The defendant was arrested when a petitioner, Ezeugwu Leonard Chinedu, claimed that he gave him the sum of N78, 295, 000 for onward transmission to his business partner in China.
Instead of remitting the money, the defendant remitted some and sent telex copies of “ABA Bank of Cambodia” for the outstanding amount, which upon presentation to the partner in China, were found to be fake.
During the course of investigation, the defendant admitted receiving the said sum but added that he diverted part of the money for his personal use.
Nigerian Navy Storms Dayspring Island, Routs Militants, Demolishes Hideout In Cross River
The Nigerian Navy has escalated its offensive against criminal elements in the maritime domain, delivering decisive blows to militant networks operating along the Calabar–Oron channel in Cross River State.
In a series of aggressive clearance operations, personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) VICTORY and Forward Operating Base (FOB) IBAKA stormed Dayspring Island following the recent surge in kidnappings and related criminal activities.
The operation was anchored on the establishment of a forward security outpost at Idung 1 (Peacock Crossing), providing a tactical foothold for sustained dominance of the creeks and adjoining waterways.
The rapid offensive forced suspected militants to abandon their positions and flee upon contact with advancing naval troops. Maintaining relentless pressure, Nigerian Navy personnel, in conjunction with troops of the Nigerian Army 13 Brigade, secured key waterways and denied the criminals freedom of movement.
Eereporter.com
Exploitation of the area led to the discovery and destruction of a militant hideout linked to a notorious suspect known as “Juju” in the Idung axis. The suspect fled in disarray, abandoning two boats fitted with outboard engines, which were immediately seized. The hideout was subsequently demolished to eliminate its future use as a criminal sanctuary.
Further tightening the noose, troops tracked and apprehended one suspected informant providing support to the militant network. The suspect is currently in custody, undergoing interrogation and will be handed over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.
Nigerian Navy
To consolidate operational gains and choke criminal activity, a 13-hour restriction on maritime movement from 5:00 pm to 6:00 am has been enforced within the operational area.
Prior to the intervention, militant elements operated with impunity, conducting kidnappings and extorting riverine communities. The sustained naval onslaught has now degraded their operational capability, disrupted their logistics, and confined their activities deep within the creeks.
The Nigerian Navy remains resolute and will sustain this aggressive posture, ensuring that all criminal elements are flushed out and the maritime environment remains secure for lawful activities.
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