Families of soldiers accused of coup plot against Tinubu raise fresh alarm

Families of soldiers accused of involvement in an alleged plot to overthrow the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have raised concerns over the treatment of the detained officers, calling for due process, a fair trial and greater transparency in the military proceedings.

Speaking in an interview with DCL English on Monday, A’isha Nana, whose husband is among the accused soldiers, said the experience had been extremely difficult for the families.

She stressed that while the law should be allowed to take its course, the authorities must ensure that the accused soldiers are treated humanely.

“Due process of law has to be allowed to take its course. But while doing that, we have to remind the government and the military authorities that it is not right to torture them. It is not right to deny them access to family. It is not right to deny them access to lawyers,” she said.

According to her, the families did not receive formal communication from the military following the arrests. She said they largely learned about the allegations through media reports.

“We did not receive any formal information. There was not any formal communication between us and the military. What we saw was on the media, when they published it. That was when we started hearing, okay, this is what happened,” she said.

Nana also rejected the suggestion that the accused soldiers had informed their wives about the alleged plan, saying military personnel would not ordinarily discuss such sensitive matters with their spouses.

She maintained that the allegations should be tested through evidence and a transparent judicial process.

“They are still innocent until proven otherwise,” she said, insisting that the authorities should present their evidence and allow the court to determine whether the accused are guilty or innocent.

She further expressed concern over what she described as delays in charging the soldiers and restrictions placed on the families during the proceedings.

According to her, the families had themselves called for the accused to be formally charged and tried in an open proceeding.

However, she said family members have not been permitted to attend the court sittings, while communication between some of the accused soldiers and their lawyers and families has allegedly been restricted.

Her biggest concern, she said, is ensuring that the proceedings are conducted fairly and transparently.

“We believe we’re in a democratic era, and we want justice. Let the trial be free and fair and open. That’s our biggest concern.”

She called on the authorities to facilitate the proceedings and ensure that the accused soldiers have access to their legal representatives and family members, while allowing the court to determine the merits of the allegations.