Nollywood Actor Stanley Amandi arrested over alleged coup plot against Tinubu

Nollywood actor and film director Stanley Amandi has been taken into custody alongside several military officers over an alleged plot to forcefully overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

A source within the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) confirmed that Amandi, a former chairman of the AGN Enugu State chapter, was arrested in September 2025 in connection with the alleged conspiracy.

According to the source, the filmmaker was allegedly recruited as a media propagandist by the suspected coup plotters, who were accused of planning a violent takeover of power and the assassination of senior government officials.

Officials familiar with the investigation had earlier disclosed that President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas were reportedly listed as targets.

On Monday, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) confirmed the existence of what it described as an unlawful plot to unseat the Tinubu administration, stating that the implicated officers would be tried before military judicial panels.

In a statement, the DHQ said investigations had been concluded and forwarded to “appropriate superior authority in line with extant regulations,” describing the probe as comprehensive and covering “all circumstances surrounding the conduct of the affected personnel.”

The military further disclosed that the inquiry uncovered several officers allegedly involved in the plot, noting that such actions were “inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”

Amandi is a notable figure in Nollywood, having worked as an actor, director and production manager. His film credits include The Album (director), Tiger King (director and producer, 2008), Cornerstone (2019), and Once Upon a Dream (2024), where he featured as an actor.

A review of his social media activity shows that his last Instagram post was on September 19, 2025, just days before his arrest.