Nigeria charges six over alleged Tinubu overthrow plot

Following the January trial of 16 military officers for plotting against President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria has now charged six former security officials with conspiring to remove the leader from power. The charges, outlined in court documents released on Tuesday, accuse the individuals of engaging in actions aimed at destabilizing the government. This latest development comes as regional tensions in West and Central Africa intensify, with recent coups in Benin and Guinea-Bissau sparking concern.

The suspects include a retired major general and a current police inspector, both charged with terrorism and treason. A seventh person, also a government official, is alleged to have aided in hiding the plot and remains missing. Prosecutors claim the group “conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overawe the president of the Federal Republic,” as stated in the official charge sheet.

Authorities said the suspects “conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overawe the president of the Federal Republic,” according to the document detailing the charges.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has not faced a coup since transitioning to democracy in 1999. Despite five coups in the 20th century, the country has maintained political stability for over two decades. President Tinubu assumed office in 2023 and initiated a significant military overhaul in October of the previous year, replacing key leadership roles as per government announcements.

Months after the leadership shake-up, the administration declared it had thwarted a coup attempt in January. The military described the incident as “acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations.” Analysts note that Tinubu’s efforts to strengthen internal security are driven by ongoing economic challenges and a persistent Islamist insurgency in the northern regions.