Nollywood filmmaker and actor Stanley Amandi, a former chairperson of the Enugu State chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), has been arrested for his alleged role in a foiled coup plot aimed at violently overthrowing President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Amandi, a well-known director, production manager and actor in the Nigerian film industry, was arrested in September 2025, although details of his alleged involvement only emerged publicly this week, according to a report by Premium Times, an online newspaper.
Investigators allege that the filmmaker was recruited by the coup plotters to serve as a propagandist, helping to shape narratives in support of the planned takeover.
The actor has featured in several Nollywood productions and is credited with notable works including The Album (director), Tiger King (director and producer, 2008), Cornerstone (producer, 2019), and Once Upon a Dream (actor, 2024). His last post on Instagram was dated 19 September 2025, days before his arrest, according to checks by this newspaper.
Military sources said Amandi was arrested alongside serving and retired military officers accused of plotting a violent overthrow of the government.
The alleged plot, according to officials briefed on the investigation, involved plans to assassinate top government figures, including Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, among others.
The New Diplomat had reported that on Monday, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) officially confirmed the existence of the alleged coup plot, announcing that investigations had been concluded and that the indicted officers would be arraigned before military judicial panels.
In a statement, the DHQ said the investigation had been forwarded to the “appropriate superior authority in line with extant regulations,” adding that the probe was “comprehensive” and conducted in accordance with established military procedures.
The findings identified a number of officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government,” the military said, describing such actions as “inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
Last October, at least 16 military officers were under investigation for an alleged coup plot, a claim the Nigerian Army initially downplayed, describing the probe as one centred on “indiscipline and breach of service regulations.”
However, further investigations revealed that more officers and civilians were subsequently arrested in connection with the alleged conspiracy.
Sources familiar with the case said the suspects include senior military officers and civilians, with plans underway to subject them to both court martial proceedings and civil trials. Under Nigerian law and military procedure, officers implicated in the plot are expected to face court martials first, while civilians, including Amandi, will be prosecuted in civil courts.
