Nollywood filmmaker and actor Stanley Amandi has been arrested alongside several military officers accused of plotting a violent overthrow of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Advertisement
Stanley Amandi
This is the first time the alleged involvement of the popular actor in the suspected coup plot has been made public.
Amandi, a director and former chairperson of the Enugu state chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, was reportedly recruited by the alleged coup plotters to act as a propagandist.
ATTENTION PLEASE!!!
To get first hand gists and updates about latest happenings, join our WhatsApp channel by
CLICKING HERE.
Also join our telegram channel by
CLICKING HERE.
Sources familiar with the investigation said the suspects planned to use coordinated messaging and influence operations as part of a broader scheme to destabilise the government and legitimise a military takeover.
The plot, according to government sources, allegedly included plans to assassinate top political leaders.
Officials briefed on the investigation disclosed that President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas were among those allegedly marked for elimination during the planned takeover.
“The intention was a violent overthrow of the democratic order, targeting the highest levels of government,” a source familiar with the probe said.
On Monday, January 26, the Defence Headquarters confirmed that it had concluded investigations into an alleged plan to illegally oust the Tinubu administration.
In a statement, the military said the investigation had been completed and forwarded to “appropriate superior authority in line with extant regulations”.
Stanley Amandi
According to the Defence Headquarters, the probe was “comprehensive” and carried out in line with established procedures, examining “all circumstances surrounding the conduct of the affected personnel”.
The military added that its findings identified “a number of officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government”, describing such actions as “inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria”.
Recall that Premium Times had earlier reported in October that at least 16 military officers were under investigation, although the army initially described the case as involving “indiscipline and breach of service regulations”.
Further investigations later led to the arrest of additional officers and civilians linked to the alleged plot, The Cable reported.
Sources said senior military officers implicated would first face court martial proceedings, while civilians involved, including Amandi, are expected to be tried in civil courts.
Amandi is a well-known figure in Nollywood, having featured in numerous films and worked as an actor, production manager and director over the years.
Neither the actor nor his legal representatives have publicly responded to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.
