Nollywood actor and director, Stanley Amandi, has been taken into custody alongside several military officers over allegations of plotting to forcibly overthrow the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
A source within the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) disclosed that Amandi, a former chairman of the AGN Enugu State chapter, was arrested in September 2025 in connection with the alleged plot.
According to the source, the filmmaker was reportedly engaged as a media propagandist by the suspected coup planners, who were allegedly working towards the assassination of senior government officials.
Government officials familiar with the investigation had earlier revealed that the accused military officers allegedly mapped out a violent seizure of power, with President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, reportedly listed as targets.
On Monday, the Defence Headquarters confirmed the existence of an unlawful plot aimed at unseating the Tinubu administration, stating that the implicated officers would be tried before military judicial panels.
In a statement, the Defence Headquarters said investigations into the matter had been concluded and forwarded to the “appropriate superior authority in line with extant regulations.” The military described the probe as comprehensive, noting that it examined “all circumstances surrounding the conduct of the affected personnel.”
The statement further revealed that the investigation uncovered “a number of officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government,” adding that such actions were “inconsistent with the ethics, values, and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
Amandi is a known figure in the Nigerian film industry, having worked as an actor, director, and production manager on several Nollywood projects. His film credits include The Album (director), Tiger King (director and producer, 2008), Cornerstone (2019), and Once Upon a Dream (2024), in which he featured as an actor.
His last activity on social media was an Instagram post dated September 19, 2025, just days before his arrest.
