Court Fixes April 27 For Trial As 6 Alleged Coup Plotters Deny Charges

| Judge remands suspects in DSS custody

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the remand of six persons accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, even as she fixed April 27 for the commencement of their trial.

The order followed an application by the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who appeared for the federal government.

The six defendants, arraigned on a 13-count charge bordering on treason, terrorism financing, failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Immediately after the plea was taken, the attorney-general of the federation applied for an accelerated hearing of the case, which the court granted.

An attempt by some defence lawyers to make an oral bail applications was, however, rejected by Justice Abdulmalik, who directed that such applications must be formally filed.

The court subsequently ordered that all the defendants be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), while also granting their lawyers access to them to facilitate adequate preparation for their defence.

Those standing trial in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026 include retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Navy Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Abdulkadir Sani.

One of the defendants, Gana, was brought to court in a wheelchair due to ill health and old age.

Counsel for one of the defendants, Sunusi Musa, SAN, who represented Islamic cleric Abdulkadir Sani Zaria, commended the AGF for requesting that the accused persons be remanded in DSS custody.

He stated that the DSS had treated his client with civility and allowed access, unlike the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), where he alleged detainees were previously held without access to legal counsel.

According to the charge filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the director of public prosecutions of the federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the defendants allegedly conspired in 2025 in Abuja to levy war against the state with the aim of overthrowing the President  Bola Ahmed, an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.

Details of the Charges

In Count One, the defendants, alongside one Timpre Sylva (said to be at large) and others, were accused of conspiring in 2025 to levy war against the state in order to overawe the president, contrary to Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.

Count Two alleged that the defendants, having knowledge that one Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others intended to commit treason, failed to report the information to the President or relevant authorities, contrary to Section 40(b) of the Criminal Code.

In Count Three, they were accused of failing to take reasonable steps to prevent the commission of the said treasonable act, also contrary to Section 40(b) of the Criminal Code.

Count Four accused the defendants of conspiring to commit acts of terrorism in Nigeria, contrary to Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Under Count Five, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru were alleged to have knowingly participated in meetings connected with acts of terrorism aimed at advancing a political ideology capable of destabilising Nigeria’s constitutional structure, contrary to Sections 2(3)(d) and 12(a) of the Terrorism Act.

Count Six alleged that all the defendants provided support, directly or indirectly, to facilitate acts of terrorism planned by Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others, contrary to Section 13(1)(a) of the Act.

In Counts Seven and Eight, the defendants were accused of failing to disclose information capable of preventing terrorist acts and aiding the apprehension of suspects, contrary to Sections 6(1)(a) and 16(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act.

Count Nine alleged that Abdulkadir Sani retained N2 million in his Jaiz Bank account, funds reasonably suspected to be proceeds of terrorism financing, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

In Count Ten, Bukar Kashim Goni was accused of retaining N50 million in a First Bank account, also suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity linked to terrorism financing.

Count Eleven accused Zekeri Umoru of accepting a cash payment of N10 million outside a financial institution from Colonel Ma’aji, contrary to the Money Laundering Act.

Count Twelve further alleged that Umoru retained N8.8 million in a Zenith Bank account believed to be proceeds of terrorism financing.

In Count Thirteen, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim was accused of taking possession of N1 million from Colonel Ma’aji, funds suspected to be linked to unlawful activities aimed at waging war against the state.

The offences are said to contravene provisions of the Criminal Code, the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The case has been adjourned to April 27 for trial.