Filmmaker and actor Stanley Amandi has been arrested in connection with an alleged plan to violently overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Mr Amandi, a director and former chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), was arrested in September 2025 alongside several military officers accused of planning a coup.
Details of the actor’s alleged involvement in the plot are emerging publicly for the first time.
According to information from security sources, Amandi was engaged by the suspected plotters to serve as a civilian propagandist.
Investigators alleged that the group planned a violent takeover of the government and marked several top officials for assassination.
Sources familiar with the investigation said the officials allegedly targeted 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 that it had concluded investigations into the alleged attempt to illegally remove the Tinubu administration.
In a statement, the military said officers implicated in the plot would be arraigned before military judicial panels.
According to the Defence Headquarters, the investigation was conducted in line with existing procedures and examined all circumstances surrounding the conduct of the affected personnel.
The military said the findings identified several officers accused of plotting to overthrow the government, noting that such actions contravened the standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The alleged plot became public in October 2025 when reports indicated that 16 officers were under investigation.
At the time, the Army said the probe was related to indiscipline and breach of service regulations.
Further investigations led to the arrest of additional military officers and civilians in connection with the matter.
Sources said military personnel among the suspects are expected to face court martials before any civil proceedings, while civilians implicated in the alleged plot, including Amandi, will be tried in civil courts.
Amandi is known in Nollywood 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, in which he appeared as an actor in 2024.
His last post on Instagram was on September 19, 2025, shortly before his arrest.
