Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has criticised the Nigerian military for its handling of the alleged plot to overthrow the government, insisting that the authorities should have apologised for their earlier denial.

The military had announced on Monday that some officers would face a military judicial panel over an alleged coup plot, more than three months after 16 officers were arrested in October 2025 for acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations. At that time, the military dismissed claims linking the cancellation of the 2025 Independence Day parade to a coup plot, describing such reports as false, malicious, and capable of generating unnecessary tension.

Reacting to the development on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Falana said the reversal indicated a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.

“The military authorities ought to have apologised to Nigerians. People in authority must learn to take us seriously,” Falana said.

He stressed that a reversal on such a serious matter without a public apology was unacceptable. “If three months ago you stated that there was no coup plot, but later discovered the matter was more serious than mere indiscipline, you should have formally acknowledged the earlier error and apologised,” he added.

Falana also expressed concerns over the trial process, noting that a court martial would only have been appropriate for acts of indiscipline. Since the case allegedly involves a coup plot, he said the officers should face charges of treason or treasonable felony, which are triable exclusively in Federal or State High Courts.

He condemned the denial of access to legal counsel for the detained officers, emphasising their rights to meet with lawyers, family members, and medical personnel. Falana noted that up to 42 people had reportedly been arrested and urged the authorities to release those not yet formally indicted.