Prominent public commentator and activist Mahdi Shehu has called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to release the names of those allegedly involved in the reported coup plot.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday night, Shehu urged both the Nigerian government and military authorities to be transparent and come clean about the matter, questioning the secrecy surrounding it.
“It has been three weeks since whispers from the vineyard started about an alleged coup,” he wrote. “What was first explained away as a routine issue around failures in promotion exercises has now grown beyond mere speculation.”
According to him, within the past two weeks, the rumours intensified, with reports of military officers being arrested across the country for alleged insubordination and indiscipline.
“But within the last week, all cowardly excuses have given way to a fact that there was indeed a plan to overthrow the government,” he claimed.
Shehu criticised the silence of the authorities, noting that in other parts of the world, standard practice after a failed coup attempt is for the alleged plotters to be paraded publicly.
“World over, the culture of failed coups is for the coup plotters to be paraded in public, handcuffed, legs chained, with their ranks, state of origin, and other details made known to the public. Subsequently, a military tribunal is set up to try them and pass a judgement which is subject to appeal,” he said.
He argued that Nigerians deserve transparency, stressing that secrecy only fuels tension, confusion, and distrust.
“Nothing is known about those involved. Nobody knows if they have access to legal representation or to their family members,” he lamented.
The activist further warned that continued silence from the authorities could worsen the situation, adding:
“Continuing this hide and seek will only make matters worse, create doubt, confusion, and even a leeway to call it a phantom coup.”
Shehu insisted that it is the right of citizens to be informed about any development that threatens the country’s democratic stability.
“Nigerians are entitled to know the identity of those ‘enemies of democracy’,” he said, urging the government to end what he described as “play in darkness, beneath-the-earth power games, and treachery.”
So far, the military authorities have denied reports of any coup attempt, maintaining that the recent arrests are tied to internal disciplinary measures within the armed forces.
In a statement released on Saturday by Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Information, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) dismissed claims linking the October 1 parade cancellation to any alleged coup plot.
According to the DHQ, the decision was made to allow President Tinubu attend a strategic bilateral meeting abroad, while also enabling the Armed Forces to maintain momentum in ongoing operations against terrorism, insurgency, and banditry across the country.
