On Wednesday, the Federal Government brought suspects accused of orchestrating a plot to remove President Bola Tinubu before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The prosecution was headed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.
While most defendants attended the proceedings—including a retired Major General, Ibrahim Gana, who appeared in a wheelchair—former Petroleum Minister Timipre Sylva was noted as being at large.
The session was briefly paused to secure an interpreter for the sixth defendant, Sheikh Abdulkadir Sanni, as his counsel stated he “only understands Hausa and Arabic.”
All defendants entered a plea of not guilty to the 13-count charge. Following this, the AGF requested their remand in Department of State Services (DSS) custody and called for a swift trial.
When the defense counsel for the first defendant, Mohammed Ndayako, sought a caveat to guarantee access to their clients, the AGF responded that “the right to access the defendants would not be denied.”
Fagbemi further noted that “it was never brought to his notice that they (defence counsel) could not access their clients,” and expressed that “he was delighted that they were all on one page, pertaining to the accelerated trial.”
Consequently, Justice Abdulmalik ordered an expedited trial, remanded the suspects with the DSS, and adjourned the matter to April 27.
The 13-count charge, signed by Director of Public Prosecutions Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), includes allegations of treason, terrorism, failure to report intelligence, and money laundering.
The prosecution claims that in 2025, the defendants conspired “to levy war against the state to overpower the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” and asserted that the accused had prior knowledge of the plot but “did not use any reasonable endeavours to prevent the commission of the offence.”
Specific terrorism charges under the 2022 Act allege that the group “conspired with one another to commit an act of terrorism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Furthermore, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru were accused of participating in meetings “in a bid to further a political ideology which may seriously destabilise the constitutional structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The government also maintains that the suspects “knowingly and indirectly rendered support” for terror acts and “had information which would be of material assistance in preventing the commission of the act of terrorism but failed to disclose the information to the relevant agency as soon as practicable.”.
Additional charges involve the handling of funds in violation of money laundering laws linked to terrorism financing.
The video below captures the moment the alleged coup plotters arrived in court for arraignment.
See video below:
