Wives of Nigerian military officers detained over an alleged attempt to overthrow the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday staged a protest in Abuja.
The protesters, who were flanked by human rights activists, Omoyele Sowore and Barrister Deji Adeyanju, converged on the Federal Capital Territory, demanded open trial of their husbands.
Since October last year, some military officers were detained for allegedly plotting to disrupt Nigeria’s 26-year democratic run.
But the protesting wives of the alleged plotters however demanded access to their husbands, saying they had been in detention for over 160 days without being brought to an open court.
According to them: “For more than five months our families have lived with uncertainty, fear and unanswered questions. Today we are here for one simple reason, to ask the justice to be done openly in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“These past months have been deeply painful for our families. We have watched helplessly as narratives are presented to the public, subjecting our husbands to trial by media. At the same time some of us have faced intimidation from the very men in uniforms who want to protect Nigerians.”
They said that their husbands and fathers had served the country faithfully.
They appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the First Lady Oluremi Tinibu, leaders of the nation to intervene in the matter.
They further said: “We ask only for what the 1999 constitution guarantees every Nigerian, that our husbands be treated as innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law. The allegation against them must not be used as a tool or scapegoat. We want due process, nothing more and nothing less.
“To the Nigerian military, to the men and women of the Nigerian military, we are not your enemies, we are wives, mothers, children and we struggle to understand how the same institution our husbands have served with dedication has now become the source of deepest pain.
“We respectfully ask for compassion, transparency, grant us access to our husbands, let us see them and know how they are safe and alive. Questions that demand clarity, there are inconsistencies that have raised serious concerns.
“Initially the public was told that N12 billion had been discovered in the account of one of the officers. Today the narrative has changed, the amount is now N835 million and it is reportedly in a company account rather than the account of any officer. What was once presented as 12 billion has now reduced by to about 93 percent.
Furthermore the allegations themselves have changed.
“At first the officers were reportedly arrested for indiscipline, later the allegation became conspiracy to commit a coup d’etat. We respectfully ask what changed, if there is evidence it should be presented openly in the court please.”
