The wife and children of Nigerian Army Corporal Momoh Audu have told a court martial how they spent 21 days in military custody after security operatives stormed their home in October 2025 while searching for Audu over an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The witnesses, Fatima Sadi Audu and her son, Suleiman, gave the accounts while testifying in the ongoing trial connected to the alleged coup plot.
Fatima affirmed to tell the truth while Warrant Officer Aliyu served as interpreter, affirming to interpret between Hausa and English.
Giving evidence, Fatima said she was at home with her children when security operatives arrived at their residence late at night and knocked heavily on the door.
“I can remember what happened. We were in the room with my kids. We heard that someone knocked. The person knocked hard,” she told the court.
According to her, she asked what was happening, but the operatives said they were looking for her husband, Corporal Momoh.
She said the operatives initially refused to believe that Momoh was not in the house and accused her of hiding him in a room.
“They searched and did not find him,” she said.
Fatima said the operatives subsequently went outside as if to make a phone call before returning and ordering her to bring out her children.
She said she brought out her children, identified as Amina, Mohammed, Abdullahi and Suleiman.
“They said that there is one ‘oga’ (boss) at the roadside. We were all picked in a Hilux, then were taken to military police,” she said.
She said she asked the officers why she and her children were being arrested, but was told that they were looking for her husband.
According to her, the family was taken to the military police guard room, where they were introduced to the MP commander.
She said the commander informed her that she and her children would be kept in separate rooms.
Fatima said she asked what offence she and her children had committed but was told that the commander did not know and that the authorities were searching for her husband.
“I asked what I did. He said he did not know that they were looking for her husband,” she said.
She told the court that the family remained at the facility until about 3am and that when daybreak came, she asked the Provost Commander why they wanted to arrest her husband.
“When daybreak came, I asked the Provost Commander what her husband did. He said he wasn’t aware. He said that instruction came that they be arrested,” she testified.
Fatima explained that she and her children subsequently spent four days in custody without food or water.
“We were there four days without food,” she said.
She said neighbours became concerned after noticing that the family’s home had been locked and that they had been taken away.
“The neighbours inquired what happened to her. One of them saw her doors were locked and said he saw when they were moved,” she told the court.
According to Fatima, the family repeatedly complained about hunger and lack of water.
“When daybreak came, we told them that we were hungry. About 2pm, no food, no water for four days,” she said.
She said their neighbours eventually began bringing food to them after learning of their detention.
“Then after five days, they started feeding us,” Fatima testified.
She further stated that after about one week, the authorities told the family that the money meant for their feeding had been exhausted.
Fatima said she complained that they were hungry but was told that the authorities no longer had the financial capacity to feed them.
“It was my neighbours that continuously brought food,” she said.
She said the family was informed after a week that her husband had been found.
According to her, she pleaded for her release and that of her children because they had not committed any offence.
However, she said they were not released despite the fact that her children were expected to be in school.
“The children were meant to be in school. We were not released and [were] crying,” she said.
Fatima told the court that the family eventually spent 21 days in custody.
She also told the court that she could not remember her husband’s age.
Cross-examination
During cross-examination, Fatima was asked whether she was present when her husband, Corporal Momoh Audu, made his statement.
“No, I was not there,” she replied.
She was also asked whether she had requested that the authorities release her.
“Yes, because I did not commit a crime,” she said.
When asked whether she was brought to Abuja following her husband’s arrest, Fatima replied that the family did not reside in Abuja.
There was no re-examination of the witness.
Son recounts alleged detention, torture
The next witness was Suleiman, who affirmed to tell the truth.
Suleiman identified Corporal Momoh Audu as his father and told the court that he could recognise him.
He said the incident occurred around October 2025 at about 11pm while the family was at home.
“I can remember around October 2025, around 11 in the night. We were home, then we heard a knock, but we did not answer,” he testified.
According to Suleiman, the people outside subsequently hit the door, prompting his mother to answer.
“They then hit it, then my mum answered and saw two persons in mufti,” he said.
He said the men asked his mother about her husband, and she informed them that he was at work.
“Then they said he was in the house,” Suleiman told the court.
He said the men entered the house and searched for his father but did not find him.
“One went out to make a call, then he said that C.O. of the barracks wanted to see us,” he said.
Suleiman said five members of the family were at home at the time: his mother, himself, Abdullahi, Amina and Mohammed.
“We were asked to come outside and lock the door. We went to the roadside and the C.O. asked where my father was, and they took us away in the car,” he testified.
Suleiman said his mother asked what had happened, but the officers told her that they were looking for her husband.
He said the family was initially taken to 313 Barracks, where they were told to sit before subsequently being moved.
He said his mother was given a phone and the person at the other end asked where her husband was, but she responded that she did not know.
According to Suleiman, the family later met the commanding officer of the Military Police and were taken in an Army Hilux.
“We were taken to Military Police,” he said.
He said the authorities asked for his age and that he informed them that he was 20 years old, while his younger brother was said to be 18.
Suleiman said he questioned why they were being taken into a cell and was allegedly slapped.
“I asked what are we going to do inside cell. I was slapped, and they were looking for my father,” he told the court.
According to him, the authorities told the family that they would not be released until his father was found.
He said the family members were separated.
“We were separated. I and Abdullahi were in one cell, and my mum and sister, Mohammed, were put in a separate cell,” Suleiman testified.
He said he and his brother slept on the bare floor.
“We slept on bare floor,” he said.
According to him, the family requested food the following morning but were told that feeding money had not been provided.
“Daybreak, we requested for food. They said they were not given our feeding money,” he said.
Suleiman said the family also repeatedly requested to be released and asked for the commanding officer to be called.
He said food was eventually brought to them in the evening.
He said that after four days, feeding money was sent, but later claimed that they were informed that the money had again run out.
“After four days, feeding money was sent,” he said.
He further explained that he and other family members were subjected to physical abuse while in custody.
“We were tortured in that cell,” Suleiman testified.
“After a week, we were told that feeding money was finished.”
He also said the family was not allowed to receive visitors because permission had not been granted.
“Nobody would be allowed to see us because we were not given permission,” he testified.
Suleiman said their neighbours continued to bring food to the family during the period.
He said that after about a week, the family was informed that his father had been found, but they were still not released.
“After a week, we were told that our father was found. They said they can’t release us,” he testified.
Suleiman said he and his brother subsequently became ill and requested medical attention.
“We fell sick and asked that I and my brother should be taken to hospital,” he said.
He stated that a Staff Sergeant subsequently put them in handcuffs and that they were made to walk to the medical centre while military police personnel rode motorcycles.
“Then Staff Sergeant put us in cuffs. There is distance between medical centre. We were forced to trek while the MP were on bike,” he said.
Suleiman said they eventually reached the medical centre, where a doctor questioned why they were being taken there in handcuffs.
He said they were treated before being made to walk back to the Military Police facility while still handcuffed.
“We were treated. We trekked back handcuff,” he said.
According to Suleiman, the family remained in custody for about 20 days before they were told that their feeding money had been provided and food was purchased.
“We returned to MP. After 20 days, our feeding money was sent and food was bought for us,” he testified.
He said the family was released the following morning.
Suleiman said his mother was given N5,000 to assist her in returning home.
During cross-examination, Suleiman was asked whether he and his family were brought to Abuja after their release.
“No,” he replied.
He was also asked whether he was present when his father made his statement.
“No,” Suleiman answered.
There was no re-examination.
The testimony was subsequently closed, with the court informed that it was the case of the 33rd defendant.
In 2025, Nigerian authorities uncovered an alleged plot involving military officers and civilians to overthrow the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) confirmed the investigation after arresting 16 military officers in late 2025, with trials and court proceedings extending into 2026 before the Federal High Court and a court martial in Abuja.