Stanley Amandi, veteran Nollywood actor and filmmaker, has been arrested by the Nigerian military over his alleged role in a foiled coup plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s government, according to an exclusive report by Premium Times.
The filmmaker, also a former chairman of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) Enugu State chapter, was reportedly detained in September 2025 alongside several military officers accused of planning a violent overthrow, including potential assassinations of top officials, according to the newspaper’s sources.
Reports indicated that the coup plotters planned to wholesale assassination of top government officials including President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, among others.
On Monday, the Defence Headquarters confirmed the plan to illegally oust the Tinubu administration, saying the indicted officers will be arraigned before military judicial panels.
In its statement, the Defence Headquarters said the investigation has been completed and forwarded to “appropriate superior authority in line with extant regulations.”
According to the military, the investigation was “comprehensive” and conducted in line with established procedures, examining “all circumstances surrounding the conduct of the affected personnel.”
The military disclosed that the findings identified “a number of the officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government,” describing such conduct as “inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
Mr Amandi has featured in many Nollywood movies and is known for his work as an actor, production manager and director.
His notable works include “The Album,” where he served as director; “Tiger King,” where he also served as director and produced in 2008; “Cornerstone,” produced in 2019; and “Once Upon a Dream,” in which he appeared as an actor in 2024.
Mr Amandi’s last Instagram post was on 19 September 2025, shortly before his arrest.
