The General Court Martial trying military officers over an alleged coup plot has again postponed its ruling on the admissibility of statements made by some of the accused.
The ruling, which was earlier scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, 2026, has now been adjourned to Monday, October 5.
The court, presided over by Air Vice Marshal H.I. Alhaji of the Nigerian Air Force, is sitting at the Scorpion Officers’ Mess in Asokoro, Abuja.
A notice issued to members of the court and other parties on Wednesday said the sitting earlier scheduled for September 30 had been postponed.
“The GCM sitting earlier adjourned to Wednesday, 30 September, 2026, has now been postponed to Monday, 5 October, 2026.
“The new sitting is scheduled to commence at 10am at the Scorpion Officers’ Mess, Asokoro, Abuja,” the notice stated.
The notice, signed by the Liaison Officer, Major M.U. Ardo, did not state the reason for …ponement but expressed regret over the inconvenience caused.
The latest adjournment marks the fourth time the court has deferred its ruling on the matter.
The ruling will determine whether statements allegedly obtained from some of the accused officers can be admitted as evidence in the ongoing trial.
The defence had challenged the admissibility of the statements, alleging that some of the officers were coerced by officials of the Defence Intelligence Agency into making or reproducing statements containing information they described as false.
The dispute resulted in a trial-within-trial, during which the defence presented evidence challenging the circumstances under which the statements were obtained.
Defence lawyers argued that the statements did not meet the legal requirements for admissibility.
They alleged, among other things, that lawyers or witnesses selected by some of the accused were not present when the statements were made.
The defence also questioned the absence of video recordings showing some of the officers writing their statements in the presence of their chosen witnesses, as required under relevant provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
The lawyers further alleged that some of the accused were not properly cautioned or adequately informed of their rights before making the statements.
The prosecution, however, presented evidence to support its position that the statements were made voluntarily and without improper pressure.
During the trial-within-trial, some of the accused officers gave accounts alleging that they were subjected to coercion, intimidation, inducement and physical abuse while in detention.
Some claimed they were led to believe that reproducing particular statements would secure their release.
They also alleged that intelligence officials had prepared some of the statements beforehand and compelled them to copy or sign the documents despite allegedly having no knowledge of some of the information contained in them.
Others told the court that they did not personally originate or write the statements attributed to them, alleging that they were forced to reproduce pre-written documents containing claims or admissions they considered false or unrelated to their knowledge.
The court’s ruling will determine whether the disputed statements can be admitted and relied upon by the prosecution as part of its evidence in the ongoing military trial.
The latest postponement further delays the court’s determination of the key evidentiary dispute.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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