A group of wives of the accused persons in the ongoing alleged coup plot trial has urged the judiciary to ensure fairness and transparency in the handling of the case, warning against convictions based on coerced confessions.
In a letter addressed to relevant authorities, the women insisted that justice must not only be carried out but must also be seen to be done by the public.
They argued that no Nigerian should be found guilty without what they described as “independently verifiable evidence.”
According to the letter, “No confession extracted through fear, torture, or inhumane treatment should become the foundation upon which lives, careers, and families are destroyed.
“Justice loses its moral authority the moment it appears predetermined.”
Their appeal follows recent proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Justice Joyce Abdulmalik admitted extra-judicial statements and video recordings as exhibits in the trial involving six individuals accused of plotting to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The court had earlier ordered a trial-within-trial after the defendants challenged the admissibility of the statements, alleging that the confessions were obtained under torture and coercion.
The Federal Government is prosecuting retired Major-General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Navy Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, police inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Presidential Villa electrician Umoru Zekeri, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Islamic cleric Sheikh Abdulkadir Sani on charges bordering on treason, terrorism, and conspiracy to stage a coup.
The arrests of the suspects were first announced on October 4, 2025, by the then Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau.
Following the arrests, military authorities claimed investigations uncovered what they described as a clandestine network of officers allegedly involved in preliminary plans to topple the government.
Reports further alleged that the suspects carried out surveillance on strategic national assets, including the Presidential Villa, Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks, and major airports across the country.
Investigators also claimed that October 25, 2025, had allegedly been fixed as the proposed date for the operation.
