FG arraigns alleged coup plotters on 13-count charge

Barring unforeseen circumstances, the federal government will today arraign a retired Major General, a retired naval captain, a serving police inspector and three others on a 13-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja for allegedly plotting a coup to oust President Bola Tinubu.

According to the charge marked FHC/ABJ/206/2026, the defendants include retired Major General Mohammed Gana, retired Naval Captain Erasmus Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni and Abdulkadir Sani.

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

The charge, filed on Monday by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, accuses the defendants of offences ranging from alleged treason and terrorism to failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.

The prosecution alleged that the defendants conspired in 2025 “to levy war against the state to overpower the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.

The Federal Government further 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 authorities.

Furthermore, the defendants were also accused, according to the charge, of “knowing that a treasonable act was intended to be committed” but failing to provide the information “with all reasonable despatch” to either the President or a peace officer.

They were also accused of failing to take preventive steps and “did not use any reasonable endeavours to prevent the commission of the offence”.

Beyond treason, the defendants are facing terrorism-related charges of conspiracy under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as they “conspired with one another to commit an act of terrorism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru were specifically accused of attending meetings linked to the alleged plot “in a bid to further a political ideology which may seriously destabilise the constitutional structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

The charge also accused the defendants of providing support for terrorism, alleging that they “knowingly and indirectly rendered support” to facilitate acts of terror.

The prosecution alleged deliberate suppression of intelligence, stating that the defendants “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”.

Several defendants were accused of handling funds linked to terrorism financing, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Bukar Kashim Goni, the charge stated, “indirectly retained the aggregate sum of N50,000,000, which forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: terrorism financing”, while Abdulkadir Sani allegedly retained N2 million from a similar source.

According to the charge, Zekeri Umoru “without going through a financial institution accepted a cash payment of the sum of N10,000,000” and also retained an additional N8.8 million, suspected to be proceeds of terrorism financing.

Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim was also accused of taking possession of “the sum of N1,000,000, being part of the proceeds of terrorism financing”.

It would be recalled that the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) in January 2026 confirmed that there was an attempt to overthrow President Tinubu.

The DHQ Director of Defence Information, Samaila Uba, said investigations showed that some military personnel were involved in the alleged coup plot.

According to Uba, the officers have been detained and would be arraigned before military judicial panels.

Last month, families of the military officers detained over the alleged coup plot appealed to Tinubu to allow the suspects to be tried in an open court.

Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (Rtd), Captain (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (Rtd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim (AP776373), Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, Abdulkadir Sani, Timipre Sylva (still at large) and others, sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overawe the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code Cap C38 LFN 2004.”

“That you, Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (Rtd), Captain (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (Rtd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim (AP776373), Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, Abdulkadir Sani, Timipre Sylva (still at large) and others, sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowing that Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji (N/10668) and others intended to commit treason, did not give the information thereof with all reasonable despatch to either the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or a peace officer and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 40(b) of the Criminal Code Cap C38 LFN 2004.”

Count ten reads: “That you, Bukar Kashim Goni, in September 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly retained the aggregate sum of N50 million only in your First Bank account from A 8 & A Express Link Concept, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: terrorism financing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”

Count 13 reads: “That you, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, in September 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, directly took possession of the sum of N1 million only from Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji (N/10668), which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: terrorism financing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”