Zekeri Umoru, an alleged participant in a conspiracy against the state, disclosed on Wednesday that discussions took place regarding cutting off the electricity to the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The move was intended to facilitate a planned coup targeting President Bola Tinubu and other high-ranking state officials.
Umoru, a staff member within the Maintenance Department of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc at the Villa, made these assertions in video evidence presented before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In the recorded interrogation conducted by the Special Investigative Panel (SIP), Umoru stated that he had cautioned the planners, arguing that shutting down the power would instantly launch an investigation and lead to the arrest of the staff on duty.
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The fourth defendant claimed that the alleged leader of the operation, Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji, attempted to financial induce him through the third defendant, Police Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim.
The money was intended to bribe and enlist between 18 and 19 workers inside the Villa, including State Security Service (SSS) operatives, soldiers, and Julius Berger personnel.
According to Umoru, Colonel Ma’aji expressed a determination to gain entry to the Presidential Villa by any means necessary, stating he would use force even if inside contacts refused to collaborate.
Umoru further alleged that Inspector Ibrahim requested ₦100 million from Ma’aji to secure a route into the complex via an ambulance path, a sum Ma’aji ultimately rejected as being too high.
Ma’aji reportedly maintained that he would breach the Presidential Villa regardless, even warning that “there would be bloodshed.”
Over time, Umoru claimed he grew deeply uncomfortable with the plot, stating that infiltrating the seat of power “was no child’s play,” and made multiple attempts to return the money he had received.
While he was accused of planning to compromise the complex’s power supply, Umoru denied having any operational access to the Villa’s solar power facility.
Explaining why he failed to alert security agencies about the conspiracy, he claimed Inspector Ibrahim advised him against it, instructing him to erase their message history and cut off communication with Colonel Ma’aji due to a workplace audit.
Justice Abdulmalik has deferred the case to May 21 for the continuation of a trial-within-trial, which aims to determine whether the statements provided by the six defendants were made voluntarily or under duress.
The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), officially filed the 13-count charge—designated as FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026—on April 20 on behalf of the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
The individuals standing trial are retired Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Capt. (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.
Former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, is also implicated in the plot but is currently listed as being at large.
The charges brought against the defendants include treason, terrorism, failure to report security intelligence, and terrorism-linked money laundering.
