Nollywood filmmaker and actor Stanley Amandi, who was also identified as Peter Obi supporter has been arrested in connection with an alleged plot by some military officers to violently remove Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, from office, according to government and security sources familiar with the investigation.
Mr Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, is Nigeria’s current President and leads Africa’s most populous country from the federal capital, Abuja.
Sources said Mr Amandi was arrested in September 2025 alongside some of the military personnel accused of taking part in the plot. This is the first time details of the actor’s alleged involvement have been publicly linked to the case.
Investigators believe the suspects planned a violent takeover and allegedly discussed assassinating top government officials. Those mentioned by sources briefed on the matter included President Tinubu; Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima; the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio; and the Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, among others.
Mr Amandi, a director and former chairperson of the Enugu State chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), was allegedly brought into the plan to support a propaganda campaign. Sources said he was hired to act as a propagandist for the group, as investigators closed in on people they believe helped to shape public messaging around the alleged plot.
Military Confirms Investigation
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, the top military command, confirmed on Monday that it had investigated an attempt to unlawfully remove the Tinubu administration and said those indicted would face military judicial panels.
In a statement, the Defence Headquarters said the investigation had been concluded and forwarded to “appropriate superior authority in line with extant regulations.” It added that the investigation was comprehensive and followed established procedures, reviewing “all circumstances” surrounding the conduct of the personnel involved.
The military said the findings pointed to “a number” of officers facing allegations related to plotting against the government, describing such conduct as inconsistent with the professional ethics and standards expected of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Earlier Arrests And Alleged Cover-Up Moves
In October 2025, reports emerged that 16 officers were being investigated for an alleged coup plan, though the Nigerian Army at the time described the investigation as relating to indiscipline and breaches of service rules.
Sources familiar with the ongoing probe said additional military officers and civilians were later arrested as the investigation widened. They said some suspects, including senior officers, could face proceedings in both the military justice system and Nigeria’s regular courts.
Under the process described by sources, military suspects are expected to face court martial proceedings first, before any potential civil court action. Civilians implicated in the alleged plan, including Mr Amandi, are expected to be tried in civil courts.
Who Is Stanley Amandi?
Mr Amandi is known within Nigeria’s film industry, widely referred to as Nollywood, which is one of the world’s largest movie sectors by output. He has worked as an actor, production manager, and director, and has held leadership responsibilities within the Actors Guild of Nigeria in Enugu State, in Nigeria’s South-east region.
His credited works include “The Album,” which he directed; “Tiger King,” which he directed and produced in 2008; “Cornerstone,” produced in 2019; and “Once Upon a Dream,” in which he appeared as an actor in 2024.
Sources also noted that Mr Amandi’s last Instagram post was on Friday, 19 September 2025, shortly before his reported arrest.