Stanley Amandi, Nollywood filmmaker and actor, was arrested alongside military officers accused of plotting a violent overthrow of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Amandi, a director and former chairperson of the Enugu State chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, was arrested in September 2025, according to a report by Premium Times.
It was gathered that the actor was hired to serve as a propagandist for the alleged coup plotters, who were said to be planning the assassination of top government officials.
According to government sources briefed on the matter last year, the officers allegedly planned a violent takeover in which Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas were among those marked for elimination.
On Monday, the Defence Headquarters confirmed the plan to remove the Tinubu administration illegally, stating that the indicted officers would be arraigned before military judicial panels.
In a statement, the Defence Headquarters said investigations into the matter had been concluded and forwarded to “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.”
It added that the findings identified “a number of officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government,” describing such actions as “inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
Amandi has featured in several Nollywood productions and is known for his work as an actor, production manager and director. His works include The Album (director), Tiger King (director and producer, 2008), Cornerstone (2019) and Once Upon a Dream (2024), in which he appeared as an actor. His last Instagram post was dated September 19, 2025, shortly before his arrest.
By Taofeek Oyedokun
