The General Court Martial sitting in Abuja has again deferred its ruling on the admissibility of statements allegedly obtained from military officers standing trial over an alleged plot to overthrow the government.
The ruling, initially expected on September 30, has now been moved to October 5, marking the fourth time the court has deferred its decision on the contested statements.
The case involves military officers accused of plotting to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu on October 1, 2025.
During proceedings, the defence challenged the admissibility of the statements, alleging that some of the accused were subjected to coercion, intimidation, inducement and physical abuse during interrogation by the Defence Intelligence Agency.
The defence also argued that some statements were prepared in advance and that the accused were not properly cautioned or given access to legal counsel before making them.
It further complained about the absence of witnesses and video recordings that could help establish the circumstances under which the statements were obtained.
The prosecution, however, maintained that the statements were voluntarily made and urged the court to admit them as evidence.
The dispute has led to a trial-within-trial, through which the court is examining the circumstances surrounding the statements before deciding whether they can be admitted as evidence in the main proceedings.
The defence has also raised a separate challenge to the jurisdiction of the General Court Martial to try some of the accused. That issue is distinct from the current ruling on the admissibility of the statements.
The General Court Martial is proceeding under the Armed Forces Act, while a separate Federal High Court proceeding concerning alleged coup-related offences should not be confused with the military trial.
With the ruling now fixed for October 5, the court is expected to determine whether the disputed statements can form part of the evidence against the accused as the trial continues..