A prominent Nollywood actor and filmmaker, Stanley Amandi, has been detained by Nigerian military authorities in connection with an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s government.
Amandi, who formerly served as chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), was reportedly arrested in September 2025. Authorities claim he was recruited as a propagandist by alleged coup plotters targeting key government officials, including President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
The filmmaker and actor is known for directing and producing Nollywood films such as The Album, Tiger King (2008), Cornerstone (2019), and acting in Once Upon a Dream (2024). His last public activity on Instagram was on September 19, 2025, shortly before his arrest.
The alleged coup investigation has also led to the detention of 35 military officers and a police inspector, spanning ranks from Brigadier General to Lance Corporal, drawn from the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Reports indicate that some detainees have suffered health issues due to poor detention conditions, with families raising concerns about inhumane treatment, denial of legal counsel, and restricted access to relatives.
Earlier, the Defence Headquarters initially dismissed reports of a coup plot. However, a recent statement now acknowledges that allegations of planning to overthrow the government were among the findings against some detained officers.