Former Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka-Usman (retd.), has said that officers accused of plotting a coup will be tried through a court-martial process, even under a civilian administration.
Kukasheka-Usman made this known on Tuesday while responding to questions on ARISE News, stressing that allegations of coup plotting are grave and must be handled in strict accordance with established military and civilian legal frameworks.
He explained that under military regulations, serving officers cannot be prosecuted until their commanders determine that an offence has been committed and that all due processes have been observed.
According to him, members of the armed forces are governed by military, civil, and international laws, with the Armed Forces Act clearly outlining the procedures for trying service personnel.
Kukasheka-Usman noted that Section 114 of the Armed Forces Act stipulates that military personnel accused of offences not specified as civilian crimes under the Act are to be tried by court-martial rather than regular civil courts.
He added that a court-martial carries powers equivalent to those of a State High Court or the Federal Capital Territory High Court, with its rulings subject to confirmation by the Defence Council and appeals permissible up to the Supreme Court.
The retired general commended both the military and the federal government for adhering to due process in handling the matter and urged the public to allow the legal procedures to run their full course.
Nigerian Newssphere recalls that the Nigerian military recently indicted 16 officers following investigations into an alleged coup plot.
