•••Urges President to Temper Judgement with Mercy
Fidelia Soriwei, Abuja
Fresh concerns over the ongoing trial of military officers accused of plotting against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu resurfaced in Abuja on Monday as relatives and supporters of the detained suspects staged a protest at the Federal Ministry of Justice.
The demanded transparency in the proceedings and immediate access to their loved ones.
The demonstrators gathered outside the ministry’s gate carrying placards with messages such as “Tinubu Release Our Heroes,” “AGF, Stop the Kangaroo Court Martial Now,” and “Lt Col C Chima 419 Witness.”
The chanted solidarity songs in support of the detained officers.
Security personnel, including officers of the Nigeria Police Force, prevented the protesters from entering the ministry premises, restricting the gathering to the entrance area as tensions gradually built around the protest ground.
The latest demonstration comes amid growing controversy surrounding the handling of the alleged coup case, especially after journalists and members of the public were denied access to recent court proceedings involving some of the accused officers.
Speaking during the protest, one of the organisers, Justice Isimili, said many of those present had travelled from different parts of the country to demand justice and openness in the legal process.
“Many of the people who turned out today are relatives of our heroes. Some of them came from Jos, Kano, and Sokoto to protest the continued detention of the alleged coup suspects who are our fathers, uncles, and brothers,” he said.
He urged President Tinubu to intervene, insisting that families of the suspects had endured months of uncertainty since the arrests.
“All we are asking is for the President, who is our father, to temper justice with mercy. We want him to come to our aid. Many of us have not been able to rest or do anything because of our loved ones who are still being held,” he added.
The protesters also criticised the closed nature of the court-martial proceedings, arguing that journalists, relatives, and observers should not be excluded from trials involving allegations as serious as treason and terrorism.
“We want an open trial instead of what they are doing in the name of court martial, where family members, journalists, and the public are denied access to the court proceedings. All we are interested in is their freedom,” Isimili stated.
Another protester, Abdullahi Kale, who said he travelled from Sokoto for the demonstration, warned that continued detention of the suspects could deepen perceptions of political and regional bias.
Among the demonstrators was Habibat Muhammad, who attended the protest carrying her one-year-old child on her back. Speaking in Hausa, she described the hardship families had faced since the arrests of the suspects nearly eight months ago.
A senior official of the Ministry of Justice later addressed the crowd and advised the protesters to formally submit their complaints through proper channels.
“This is what we told them. They should go back and put their house in order before coming back,” the official said.
“When you return, let only two persons come with your letter. But if you insist on coming as a group like you did today, it will be misrepresented to mean another thing.”
The official declined to disclose her identity but confirmed she was a director in the ministry.
Dozens of serving and retired military officers, alongside civilians, were arrested over accusations linked to treason, terrorism, money laundering, and failure to disclose information.
While some of the suspects are facing proceedings before a military court-martial in Abuja, others are being tried in civilian courts.
Public concern intensified further two weeks ago after journalists were reportedly barred from covering bail proceedings involving six of the accused persons at the Federal High Court in Abuja, with court officials and operatives of the Department of State Services ordering reporters out shortly before proceedings began.
Despite the ongoing legal battle, families of the detained officers insist that their demands remain unchanged: unrestricted access to their relatives and a transparent judicial process conducted in line with constitutional standards.
