Relatives of the 16 military officers detained for allegedly attempting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu are appealing to the Presidency and relevant authorities for leniency.
The family members are contacting influential political and government figures to urge the president to show mercy.
At least 16 military officers were indicted in a report submitted to the president following the coup attempt.
According to retired senior military officials, these officers are awaiting a court martial.
This situation arose after the military high command announced that the officers, who have been in custody since October 2025, were found guilty of the charges.
Reports from last October indicated that officers, from the rank of Captain to Brigadier-General, were arrested and held by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) for their alleged involvement in the plot against Tinubu’s administration.
In an exclusive interview, a family member of one of the Majors expressed the need to explore various options, including political avenues, to address the situation.
“We understand the seriousness of the offence under military and national laws, but these individuals are our loved ones, and we cannot afford to lose them.
They are the primary earners for their families. We appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to show mercy.
He is a father figure to us all. We ask him to exercise compassion. We are not suggesting they should escape punishment, but we do not want them to face death at this time,” he stated.
Another family member, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed their shock upon learning that their sons were detained in connection with the coup plot.
He stated, “At first, we believed they were wrongfully detained, but based on the information we are receiving, our only course of action now is to reach out to the Nigerian populace. Esteemed president, please pardon our sons; dear Nigerians, please show them mercy.
“If for no other reason, many of their children are still quite young. We ask for your forgiveness. We trust that they have learned from this experience.”
In addition, security analyst Abdullahi Garba urged for a transparent and just trial for the detained officers by the military hierarchy.
“It is essential to conduct an open and fair trial for these individuals, to avoid any appearance of victimization, especially since many of them come from the same region of the country,” the analyst remarked.
Meanwhile, Major Bashir Galma (retd), who participated in the 1983 coup, referred to coup attempts as a “hazardous endeavour,” stating, “It is indeed a risky undertaking.
Every job has its inherent dangers. We were fortunate. We executed it successfully. That was on December 31, 1983.
“We were involved in the takeover of that government in Kaduna. At that time, I held the rank of army Captain.
“It was a Friday night – December 30 at midnight – which coincidentally was December 31, my birthday – we were all prepared and assigned our respective duties.
“My specific task was to seize control of broadcasting stations and telecommunication networks in Kaduna,” the elderly man recounted.
The detained personnel include a Brigadier-General, a Colonel, four Lieutenant Colonels, five Majors, two Captains, a Lieutenant, a Lieutenant Commander from the Navy (equivalent to a Major), and a Squadron Leader from the Air Force.
Records indicate that 12 out of the 14 army officers are from the Infantry
