Coup Plot: Military Court Martial To Resume May 8

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said the ongoing court martial of military officers accused of plotting a coup will resume on May 8.

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A spokesman for the Defence Headquarters, Major General Samaila Uba, told AFP that no fewer than 36 officers are currently standing trial over their alleged involvement in the failed coup attempt.

The trial, which commenced last week in Abuja, is being held at a military facility under tight security.

According to the military authorities, subsequent sittings of the court-martial will continue to be conducted without public or media access.

The spokesman noted that the next hearing would also be held behind closed doors.

The court martial was inaugurated on Friday, with the accused officers brought before a panel of military judges for the opening of proceedings.

The trial is considered one of the most significant military prosecutions in recent years.

Meanwhile, six civilians are separately standing trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja over their alleged roles in the same plot.

The defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, experienced multiple military takeovers in the decades following independence from Britain in 1960.

However, the country has maintained uninterrupted democratic governance since 1999.