Six Alleged Coup Plotters Deny 13 Charges as Trial Begins April 27

The Federal Government has arraigned six individuals, including two retired senior military officers and a serving police inspector, before the Federal High Court in Abuja over an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu.

Those charged are retired Major General Mohammed Gana, retired Navy Captain Erasmus Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani. They face a 13-count charge bordering on treason, terrorism, and money laundering.

Also listed in the charge, but currently at large, is former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.

The prosecution, led by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), accused the defendants of conspiring in 2025 to wage war against the state with the aim of removing the President.

All six defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.

Following their plea, the prosecution requested an accelerated hearing and asked the court to remand the defendants in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS). Defence counsel, led by Mohammed Ndayako (SAN), applied for bail and sought access to their clients.

In a brief ruling, Justice Abdulmalik ordered that the defendants be remanded in DSS custody and adjourned the case to April 27, 2026, for the commencement of trial.

According to court documents, the accused persons allegedly failed to report intelligence about the planned coup and did not take steps to prevent it despite having prior knowledge. The Federal Government also claimed they were involved in financing terrorism under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Specific allegations include Bukar Goni’s possession of N50 million linked to terrorism financing, Abdulkadir Sani’s alleged handling of N2 million, and Zekeri Umoru’s receipt of N10 million in cash outside the banking system, alongside an additional N8.8 million suspected to be proceeds of terrorism. Inspector Ibrahim is also accused of receiving N1 million connected to the plot.

The charge further stated that some of the defendants attended meetings aimed at promoting a political ideology capable of destabilising Nigeria’s constitutional order.

The arraignment follows an earlier announcement by the Defence Headquarters in January 2026 confirming an attempted coup involving some military personnel.

Meanwhile, the military has granted lawyers and family members access to the suspects at the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) detention facility in Abuja after months of restricted contact. The move followed concerns over limited access since their arrest.

There had also been fears that the suspects might be tried in batches before a military-style tribunal rather than in civilian courts, raising questions about transparency and due process.

Earlier, wives of some of the detained officers staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly complex, calling for either the release of their husbands or a fair and open trial. Carrying placards with messages such as “Justice for our daddies” and “Charge them to court,” the women alleged that the detainees had been held for over five months without proper access to legal representation or family members.

The officers were initially arrested in October 2025 over alleged breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline.

In a related development, an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Sani Zaria, who was detained over alleged links to one of the suspects, has been released for trial. A court had earlier criticised the Defence Intelligence Agency for detaining him without complying with judicial orders.

The cleric had been held since December 2025 after N2 million traced to one of the accused persons was found in his bank account. Although he forfeited the funds to the Federal Government, authorities continued his detention to investigate his alleged involvement.

The court has now ordered compliance with due process as the broader case proceeds.