Former Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka-Usman (Rtd.), has said officers accused of plotting a coup will be tried by court-martial under civilian administration, stressing that the offence is serious and must follow due legal process.
He made the clarification on Tuesday while speaking on Arise News, noting that both military and civilian legal frameworks apply in handling such cases involving serving personnel.
Kukasheka-Usman explained that under military regulations, accused officers cannot be tried until their commanders have established that an offence was committed and that all internal procedures have been properly followed.
According to him, members of the armed forces are subject to military, civil and international laws, adding that the Armed Forces Act provides for court-martial in cases involving service members.
Citing Section 114 of the Armed Forces Act, he said military personnel cannot be tried in civilian courts for offences not listed in the Act, noting that court-martial decisions are equivalent to those of a state or FCT High Court and are subject to confirmation by the Defence Council, with appeals possible up to the Supreme Court.
