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Wives and children of Nigerian soldiers who were accused of plotting a coup to overthrow Nigeria’s democratic government and usher in a military regime in 2025, protested at the National Assembly on Wednesday.
The group called for a transparent and fair trial or the release of the suspected coup plotters. Relatives, including children, of the suspected coupists carried placards bearing inscriptions.
Some of the inscriptions read: “Don’t kill our daddies. Hear their side first”, “Our daddies are not coupists”, “Innocent until proven guilty. Or does this not apply?”, and “Parents are dying without goodbyes”.
Wives of Nigerian military officers detained over an alleged coup have staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly, demanding either their immediate release or a transparent legal process. pic.twitter.com/LwYh0BJOuG
— News Central TV (@NewsCentralTV) April 1, 2026
A child wore a face cap with the inscription, “Justice for our daddies”.
Some military officers planned to topple the Nigerian Government in October 2025. This prompted the Nigerian Government to cancel the Independence Day parade, scheduled for October 1, 2025.
Premium Times reported that the suspected coup plotters had planned to disrupt the handover of power from former President Muhammadu Buhari to President Tinubu on 29 May 2023, during the presidential inauguration, but stalled the operation due to insufficient funds and inadequate logistical arrangements.
The coup plot was reactivated in 2025 after Timipre Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa State, allegedly transferred nearly N1 billion in multiple tranches to three separate bank accounts operated by a Bureau De Change operator.
No fewer than 40 soldiers were identified in connection with the attempted coup in February 2026 and 16 were detained.
Senior military officers across the armed forces, a police officer, and civilians are allegedly involved in funding and planning the coup. Rights groups have also demanded a fair hearing for the accused coup plotters.
