Nollywood Star Stanley Amandi Detained Over Suspected Involvement in Coup Plot

Nollywood actor and filmmaker Stanley Amandi has been detained alongside a group of military officers accused of plotting a violent takeover of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

A source within the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) disclosed that Amandi, a former chairman of the guild’s Enugu State chapter, was arrested in September 2025. According to the source, the actor-director was allegedly recruited by the suspected coup plotters to serve as a media propagandist. The group is also accused of planning the assassination of top government officials.

Officials familiar with the investigation had earlier revealed that the alleged plot involved a coordinated plan to seize power by force. Those reportedly marked for assassination included President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas.

On Monday, the Defence Headquarters confirmed that an illegal scheme aimed at removing the Tinubu administration had been uncovered. It added that the military officers implicated in the plot would be tried before appropriate military judicial panels.

In an official statement, the Defence Headquarters said investigations into the matter had been completed and forwarded to “appropriate superior authority in line with extant regulations.” The military described the investigation as “comprehensive,” noting that it examined “all circumstances surrounding the conduct of the affected personnel.”

The statement further revealed that the inquiry identified “a number of officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government,” stressing that such actions were “inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”

Amandi is a well-known figure in the Nigerian film industry, with experience both in front of and behind the camera as an actor, director, and production manager. His body of work includes The Album, which he directed; Tiger King (2008), where he served as director and producer; Cornerstone (2019); and Once Upon a Dream (2024), in which he appeared as an actor.

His last activity on Instagram was recorded on September 19, 2025, just days before his arrest.

^{Source: Vanguard}