Families of military officers facing trial over an alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu have called for an independent investigation into claims that money was withdrawn from the detainees’ bank accounts without their knowledge while they remained in military custody.
The relatives alleged that unauthorized withdrawals, airtime purchases and loan transactions were carried out using some of the officers’ bank accounts during their detention, raising concerns over the security of their financial information and the conduct of officials responsible for their custody.
The allegations have not been independently verified, and military authorities have yet to issue an official response.
Speaking on behalf of the families, the relatives insisted that the claims deserved an impartial investigation to determine how the accounts were allegedly accessed.
“We, the families of the detained military officers, are calling for an immediate and independent investigation into the alleged unauthorised access to, and withdrawal of funds from, the personal bank accounts of some of our loved ones while they remain in detention,” the families said.
They added that investigators should determine whether any individual abused official authority or unlawfully obtained the detainees’ confidential banking information.
“We believe these allegations warrant a thorough investigation to establish how the accounts were accessed and whether any individual abused their position or unlawfully obtained sensitive banking details,” they stated.
The families further urged the authorities to prosecute anyone found culpable, recover any funds allegedly taken from the accounts, and strengthen measures to protect the assets and personal belongings of people held in custody.
“We are urging the relevant authorities to identify and prosecute anyone found responsible, recover any unlawfully withdrawn funds where appropriate, and implement strong measures to safeguard the personal property and financial assets of all persons in custody,” they said.
According to the relatives, protecting detainees from financial exploitation remains a fundamental responsibility of the government.
The allegations follow earlier claims that security personnel forcefully accessed the mobile phones of some of the detained officers after their arrest, exposing banking applications and other personal information.
One family member alleged that suspicious financial activities began shortly after the phones were accessed.
“They forcefully accessed their phones. After that, they started using their bank accounts,” the relative alleged.
Another family member claimed repeated attempts to use a detained officer’s debit card revealed that the account had been depleted.
“Anytime we tried to use our father’s debit card, it always showed that there was no money in the account,” the source said.
According to documents reportedly reviewed by SaharaReporters, one detainee’s Zenith Bank mobile banking account recorded three successful login notifications on July 14, 2026, at 11:06 a.m., 1:33 p.m. and 3:42 p.m., despite the officer allegedly remaining in military detention without access to his phone.
The report further claimed that one affected account, which reportedly held about ₦5.2 million in April, was gradually depleted until only about ₦5,000 remained. Another account was said to have received a ₦197,000 loan on June 11, accompanied by an upfront charge of ₦23,000, even though the family insisted the detainee neither applied for nor authorised the loan.
The families have encouraged relatives of other detained military personnel to obtain bank statements covering the period of detention to determine whether similar transactions occurred.
The latest allegations come amid continued controversy surrounding the conditions under which the officers accused of participating in the alleged coup plot are being held.
One of the defendants, Capt. M.L. Muhammad, reportedly suffered convulsions and collapsed while in detention, forcing the suspension of his court-martial proceedings. Security sources also alleged that the officer was being held in an underground detention facility operated by the Defence Intelligence Agency, where he reportedly developed serious medical complications.
Military authorities are yet to comment publicly on the latest allegations.
