A civil society group, the Concerned Pro-Democratic Activities of Nigeria in Nasarawa State, has appealed to the Federal Government and the Nigerian Army to release detained military officers if there is no case against them or promptly charge them to court.
The group expressed concern over the continued detention of some officers at the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) headquarters in Abuja over alleged involvement in a coup plot to overthrow the sitting president.
Addressing journalists in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, Yusuf Musa-Dauda alleged that Brigadier General Musa Abubakar-Sadiq and Colonel M. Al-Makura were falling seriously ill in detention and were being denied adequate medical attention.
He further claimed that family members of the detained officers had been prevented from communicating with them since their arrest, leaving relatives worried about their health and safety.
“Weeks after their arrest, rumours emerged that they were linked to an alleged coup plot, which was later debunked by the military and the government,” Musa-Dauda said.
While condemning any attempt to overthrow a democratic government, the group urged the authorities to handle the matter with fairness and respect for human rights.
“We are deeply worried by reports that some of the detained officers are seriously ill in custody without proper medical care,” he said. “We appeal to the Federal Government and relevant authorities to grant them immediate medical attention and allow communication with their families to ease their fears.”
He added that if there is no substantive case against the officers, they should be released, or formally charged and tried in accordance with the law.
The group also alleged that grievances leading to the arrests may be linked to repeated failures in promotion examinations and perceived career stagnation.
It would be recalled that the Defence Headquarters, through its former Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, announced on October 4, 2025, the arrest of some officers over alleged indiscipline and breaches of service regulations.
Reports indicate that the officers were initially held at the DIA headquarters in Abuja before being moved to an underground military detention facility.
From Umar Muhammed, Lafia
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