Veteran Nollywood filmmaker and actor, Stanley Amandi, has been arrested in connection with an alleged plot by some military officers to violently overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Amandi, a director and former chairman of the Enugu State Chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), was reportedly arrested in September 2025. This marks the first time his alleged involvement in the purported coup plot has been made public.
Sources familiar with the investigation disclosed that Amandi was allegedly recruited by the coup plotters to function as a propagandist. The alleged conspirators were said to have planned a violent takeover of government, including the assassination of key public officials.
Government sources briefed on the matter last year revealed that the alleged plot involved plans to assassinate President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, and other top officials.
On Monday, the Defence Headquarters confirmed the existence of a plot to illegally oust the Tinubu administration, stating that military personnel indicted in the matter would be arraigned before appropriate military judicial panels.
In a statement, the Defence Headquarters said investigations into the matter had been concluded and forwarded to the “appropriate superior authority in line with extant regulations.”
According to the military, the probe was comprehensive and conducted in accordance with established procedures, examining all circumstances surrounding the conduct of the affected personnel.
“The findings identified a number of officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government,” the Defence Headquarters stated, describing the conduct as “inconsistent with the ethics, values, and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
It would be recalled that in October 2025, reports emerged that at least 16 military officers were under investigation over an alleged coup plot, although the Nigerian Army at the time said the officers were being investigated for indiscipline and breach of service regulations.
Further investigations reportedly led to the arrest of additional military officers and civilians in connection with the alleged plot.
Sources close to the investigation said suspects, including senior military officers, are expected to face trials in both military court martials and civil courts. Military personnel will first undergo court martial proceedings before possible civil prosecution, while civilians implicated in the matter, including Amandi, will be tried in civil courts.
Stanley Amandi is a well-known figure in the Nigerian film industry, with credits as an actor, director, producer, and production manager.
Amandi’s last post on Instagram was made on September 19, 2025, shortly before his arrest.
