Nollywood actor Stanley Amandi arrested over alleged coup plot
Nollywood actor and film director Stanley Amandi has been arrested alongside several military officers accused of plotting a forceful overthrow of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Amandi, a former chairman of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Enugu State chapter, was taken into custody in September 2025, according to a source within the AGN.
The filmmaker is alleged to have served as a media propagandist for the suspected coup plotters, who were reportedly planning a violent seizure of power, including the assassination of senior government officials.
Government officials familiar with the investigation said those listed as targets allegedly included President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
The Defence Headquarters on Monday confirmed the existence of an unlawful plot to unseat the Tinubu administration, stating that officers implicated in the scheme would be tried before military judicial panels.
In a statement, the military said investigations into the matter had been concluded and forwarded to the “appropriate superior authority in line with extant regulations.” It described the probe as comprehensive, covering “all circumstances surrounding the conduct of the affected personnel.”
The Defence Headquarters added that the investigation uncovered “a number of officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government,” noting that such actions were inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Amandi, who has featured in several Nollywood productions, last posted on his Instagram account on September 19, 2025, a few days before his arrest.
