Families of military officers accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu have appealed to the Presidency and security authorities to show mercy, following months of detention and impending court martial proceedings.
The relatives, Daily Trust gathered, have been reaching out to senior political figures and government officials in Abuja, urging them to prevail on the President to temper justice with compassion.
No fewer than 16 officers were reportedly indicted in a security report submitted to the President over an alleged coup plot, with the suspects said to have been in detention since October 2025.
Senior military sources said the officers, who range in rank from Captain to Brigadier-General across the Army, Navy and Air Force, are currently awaiting trial by court martial.
The military high command had earlier confirmed that the officers were found culpable following investigations into the alleged plot to topple the Tinubu administration.
As reported by Daily Trust, speaking anonymously, a family member of one of the detained Majors said the relatives had resorted to appeals after realising the gravity of the allegations under military and civil laws.
“We know the offence is serious, but these men are breadwinners. We are pleading with the President, as Commander-in-Chief, to temper justice with mercy. We are not asking that they go unpunished, but we are begging that their lives be spared,” the source said.
Another relative said the families were initially shocked by the arrests but had now accepted the situation and were appealing to Nigerians and the President for forgiveness, citing the young children left behind by some of the officers.
A security analyst, Abdullahi Garba, urged the military to ensure a transparent and fair trial, warning that secrecy could fuel claims of bias, particularly as many of the suspects reportedly come from the same region.
Commenting on the development, a retired officer and 1983 coup participant, Major Bashir Galma (retd), described coup plotting as a dangerous gamble, noting that those involved often underestimate the risks and consequences.
The detained officers reportedly include one Brigadier-General, a Colonel, several Lieutenant Colonels, Majors, Captains, a naval Lieutenant Commander and an Air Force Squadron Leader, with most drawn from the Army’s Infantry Corps, alongside personnel from Signals and Ordnance units.