The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of five out of six suspects involved in an alleged attempt to overthrow President Bola Tinubu, in a case involving treason, terrorism, and related offences.
The remand order followed their arraignment by the Federal Government, led by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi.
The defendants were docked before trial by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The 13-count treason charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026, was filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation through the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).
Those named in the suit are retired Major-General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Captain (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.
The former governor of Bayelsa State, who also served as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources under the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, Timipre Sylva, was also mentioned in the charge but not listed as a defendant. He is reportedly at large.
The former governor, who is said to be currently at large after escaping from the country before the alleged coup plot was leaked, was arraigned in absentia, making him the only suspect who is not remanded.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, Abdulkadir Sani, a cleric based in Zaria, Kaduna State, was the first to be present in court. The other defendants followed later on.
Wife of one of the alleged coup plotters, Zakari Umaru, Tina Umaru, broke down in tears, begging for mercy from Nigerians while her husband was escorted to the court by a security operative.
“My children have been asking of their father who has been detained for six months. Please Nigeria help me,” she said.
Following their plea of innocence to the charge, the court ordered that they should be remanded in custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
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Meanwhile, the court slated Monday to commence a full-blown hearing of the case.
Before the matter was adjourned, the defence lawyers, led by Mohammed Ndayako, SAN, prayed the court to order the DSS to grant them access to their clients.
They said such access would enable them to effectively prepare the defence of their clients who have been in detention since they were arrested.
Allegations and Charges
According to the charge dated April 20, the suspects allegedly conspired in 2025 to undermine national security and unlawfully challenge the authority of the Federal Government.
The government further accused them of plotting to wage war against the state with the aim of intimidating the President.
They are also facing charges related to failure to disclose vital security information, as well as alleged involvement in money laundering linked to terrorism financing.
The offences are said to be punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code and other applicable laws on terrorism and financial crimes.
According to the FG, the defendants, sometime in September 2025, conspired among themselves to levy war against the state to overthrow President Tinubu, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.
It was alleged that the defendants had prior knowledge of a planned treasonable act involving one Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others but failed to alert the appropriate authorities.
The FG maintained that they rendered assistance to Colonel Ma’aji, as evidenced by their refusal to disclose the coup plot to either the President or a peace officer.
Moreover, the defendants were accused of failing to take preventive steps, as they “did not use any reasonable endeavours to prevent the commission of the offence”.
Specifically, the serving police inspector, Ibrahim, and another defendant, Umoru, were accused of participating in meetings linked to terrorist activities.
The FG alleged that they acted “in a bid to further a political ideology which may seriously destabilise the constitutional structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
The defendants were further accused of providing support for terrorism.
Suspects Rendered Support To Facilitate Terror
The prosecution told the court that they knowingly and indirectly rendered support to facilitate acts of terror.
Tracing some of the transactions it said were linked to terrorism financing, the FG alleged that one of the defendants, Goni, “indirectly retained the aggregate sum of ₦50,000,000, which forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: terrorism financing”, while another defendant, Sani, allegedly retained ₦2 million from a similar source.
The charge also disclosed that Umoru had accepted a cash payment of ₦10,000,000 without going through a financial institution.
It was alleged that he also retained an additional ₦8.8 million suspected to be proceeds of terrorism financing.
Likewise, Inspector Ibrahim was accused of taking possession of ₦1 million linked to the same alleged scheme.
All financial-related counts in the charge were brought under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.