Nollywood filmmaker and actor Stanley Amandi has been arrested alongside several military officers and civilians over allegations of plotting 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), has been in custody since September 2025, according to a report by Leadership citing online report by Premium Times..
Details of the actor’s alleged role in the foiled coup attempt are emerging publicly for the first time.
Investigators alleged that the plotters recruited Amandi as a propagandist in a scheme that reportedly involved plans to assassinate senior government officials.
Government sources familiar with the investigation said the officers involved allegedly mapped out a violent takeover in which President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas and other top officials were listed as targets.
On Monday, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) confirmed that investigations into the alleged illegal attempt to remove the Tinubu administration had been concluded. It stated that 16 indicted officers would be arraigned before military judicial panels.
In a statement, the Defence Headquarters said the outcome of the probe had been forwarded to the “appropriate superior authority in line with extant regulations.”
The military described the investigation as “comprehensive,” noting that it examined “all circumstances surrounding the conduct of the affected personnel” in accordance with established procedures.
It added that several officers were found to be facing allegations related to plotting the overthrow of the government, actions it described as “inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
In October 2025, the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) disclosed that 16 officers were under investigation in connection with an alleged coup plot, though it initially stated that the personnel were being probed for “indiscipline and breach of service regulations.”
Sources said the investigation later widened, leading to the arrest of additional military officers and civilians.
According to the sources, implicated military officers are expected to face court martial proceedings before any possible civil trials, while civilians, including Amandi, are to be prosecuted in civil courts.
Amandi is a well-known figure in Nollywood, with experience as an actor, production manager and director.
His works include The Album, which he directed; Tiger King, which he directed and produced in 2008; Cornerstone, produced in 2019; and Once Upon a Dream, where he appeared as an actor in 2024.
His last Instagram post was made on September 19, 2025, shortly before his arrest, and he has not appeared publicly since then.
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