FG ARRAIGNS SUSPECTS OVER ALLEGED COUP PLOT AGAINST TINUBU, ORDERS DSS CUSTODY
Read Time:2 Minute, 16 Second
By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Federal Government on Wednesday arraigned suspects alleged to have plotted to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The prosecution, led by Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, brought the defendants before the court on a 13-count charge bordering on alleged treason, terrorism, terrorism financing, and failure to disclose security intelligence.
All defendants were present in court except former Minister of Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, who was said to be at large.
Among those arraigned was retired Major General Ibrahim Gana, who appeared in a wheelchair. Proceedings were briefly delayed to allow the court obtain an interpreter for the sixth defendant, Sheikh Abdulkadir Sanni, who reportedly understands only Hausa and Arabic.
The defendants, including retired naval captain Erasmus Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani, all pleaded not guilty when the charges were read.
After the plea, the prosecution requested that they be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services and that the trial be conducted expeditiously.
Defence counsel Mohammed Ndayako, representing the first defendant, requested access to his client while in DSS custody. The Attorney General assured the court that no such access would be denied, stating he was unaware of any obstruction to communication between defendants and their lawyers.
Justice Abdulmalik ordered that the defendants remain in DSS custody and granted the prosecution’s request for an accelerated trial. The case was adjourned to April 27, 2026, for hearing.
According to the charge filed by the Office of the Attorney General and signed by Director of Public Prosecutions Rotimi Oyedepo, the defendants allegedly conspired in 2025 to “levy war against the state” and overthrow the President.
They were also accused of failing to report knowledge of an alleged treasonable plan involving Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others, and of not taking steps to prevent its execution.
The prosecution further alleged that some defendants attended meetings linked to political destabilisation efforts and provided support for acts of terrorism, including funding and intelligence concealment, in violation of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The alleged plot had previously been linked in public discourse to the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day parade in October 2025, though the Defence Headquarters initially dismissed such claims.
However, in January 2026, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters confirmed an attempted coup plot, stating that some military personnel had been detained and would face military judicial proceedings.
Last month, families of detained officers called for an open court trial and access to the suspects, amid ongoing public debate over the handling of the case.
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