Thirty-six military officers are on trial at a General Court Martial in Abuja over alleged involvement in a coup plot, amid serious allegations of inhumane treatment. The proceedings, convened by Major General AM Alechenu of the Defence Headquarters Garrison under the Armed Forces Act, are being held at the Scorpion Officers' Mess, Asokoro, under tight security. Officers appeared in leg chains, with several showing visible signs of untreated infections and deteriorating health, sources said. The court is chaired by Air Vice Marshal HI Alhaji and includes Major General UT Opuene, Major General IB Abubakar, Major General NUC Ogili, Major General SA Emmanuel, Major General FU Mijinyawa, Rear Admiral DM Ndanusa, Rear Admiral MK Igwe, Air Vice Marshal MA Isah, Air Vice Marshal AO Kotun, and waiting member Air Vice Marshal MM Omar. The judge advocate is Lt Col A Mohammed. Prosecutors include Lt Col JA Orumor, Maj A Isa-Bello, Sqn Ldr SO Nyimeone, Lt LS Kadiri, Col BA Oguniayo (rtd), Col KC Okoro (rtd), and Maj AFK Adasu (rtd), with technical support from Lt Col CC Chima and Capt OE Ukpong. Family members of the accused have been barred from attending. Some defendants have accused specific officers on the panel of involvement in torture during investigations, but no disqualification has been granted. While medical personnel are assigned to certify fitness before each session, sources claim detainees are not receiving actual treatment. The charges remain undisclosed in official documents, though sources link them to an alleged coup conspiracy. Legal access and fair trial guarantees under the Constitution and Armed Forces Act are under scrutiny.
The same officers accused of overseeing torture are now sitting in judgment of the detainees they allegedly abused, creating a direct conflict that undermines the trial's credibility. This arrangement offers no assurance of impartiality, especially as visibly ill officers appear in chains without medical care. Families being locked out of proceedings further isolates the accused from oversight or support. For the named officers and their dependents, the process risks becoming punishment before proof.
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