BY CHIJIOKE CHARLES
Families of individuals accused of involvement in an alleged coup plot staged a peaceful protest in Abuja on Monday, urging the federal government to release their detained husbands, fathers and brothers, as concerns continue to mount over prolonged detention and access to justice.
The demonstrators—mostly women accompanied by children and youths—gathered in the capital city carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs, insisting that their relatives held at a Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) facility have left their households in hardship.
“With our children and our aged parents, we are urging the Nigerian government to release our brothers and husbands so that we can also come out of the problems confronting us,” one of the protesters said.
Another grieving relative added: “We all came from our villages to beg the government to please consider our plea and free them. Our children were left in our care alone, with no food to eat. We have been rendered stranded.”
They further pleaded: “We are begging the government to release them so they can return home and help us survive. Things are very difficult for us.”
The protesters maintained that their action was peaceful and driven by worsening economic and emotional distress within affected families, arguing that prolonged detention has left dependents without financial or parental support.
The protest comes amid reports that suspects linked to the alleged coup plot are being held at the Defence Intelligence Agency facility in Abuja, with earlier restrictions on access for lawyers and family members reportedly eased only recently.
SaharaReporters had earlier indicated that access to the detainees was eventually granted under controlled conditions, following months of limited contact, raising renewed scrutiny over transparency and adherence to due process in the handling of the case.
There are also ongoing concerns over whether the suspects may be tried in batches before a military tribunal rather than an open civilian court process, a development critics argue could weaken public confidence in fairness, accountability, and constitutional protections.
Analysts note that the protest highlights a growing tension between national security claims and humanitarian consequences for families of detainees, particularly in politically sensitive investigations such as alleged coup attempts.
The situation could further intensify public debate on civil liberties, military jurisdiction in criminal matters, and the government’s approach to balancing security with rule of law.
As pressure mounts, the Tinubu administration may face increased calls to clarify the legal status of the detainees and ensure that both national security and due process standards are visibly upheld to avoid further public distrust.
