Nollywood actor and filmmaker Stanley Amandi, a former chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), has been arrested over an alleged plot to violently overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
According to a report by Premium Times, Amandi was taken into custody in September 2025, though details of his alleged involvement only emerged publicly in recent days. Security sources said the filmmaker was allegedly recruited by the plotters to serve as a propaganda conduit, helping to shape messaging in support of a planned violent takeover.
Amandi is a well-known figure in the Nigerian film industry, having worked as an actor, director and production manager. His credits include Tiger King (director and producer, 2008), The Album (director), Cornerstone (producer, 2019), and Once Upon a Dream (actor, 2024). His last Instagram post was dated 19 September 2025, shortly before his arrest.
Officials familiar with the investigation said Amandi was arrested alongside serving and retired military officers accused of plotting to unlawfully remove the Tinubu administration. The alleged plan reportedly involved assassination plots targeting senior government officials, including President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Monday confirmed the alleged coup plot, stating that investigations had been concluded and that indicted officers would be arraigned before military judicial panels.
In a statement, the military said the findings of the probe had been forwarded to the “appropriate superior authority” in line with extant regulations, adding that the investigation was comprehensive and followed established procedures. It noted that several officers were found to have engaged in conduct “inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
In October last year, reports emerged that 16 military officers were under investigation for an alleged coup plot, a case initially described by the army as a probe into “indiscipline and breach of service regulations.” Further investigations later widened, leading to the arrest of additional military personnel and civilians.
Sources said military suspects will first face court martial proceedings, while civilians implicated in the alleged plot, including Amandi, are expected to be prosecuted in civil courts.
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