The Federal Government has filed a 13-count charge against six individuals, including two retired senior military officers and a serving police inspector, for allegedly plotting to coup to oust President Bola Tinubu..
The defendants are: retired Major General Mohammed Gana, retired Naval Captain Erasmus Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.
They are scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, April 22, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
Also named in the charge, but currently on the run, is Timipre Sylva, a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.
The charge, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), accuses the defendants of various offenses, including treason, terrorism, failing to report security threats, and money laundering related to terrorism financing.
The prosecution claims the defendants conspired in 2025 to overthrow the government and attack the President, an act punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.
The government also accuses the defendants of knowing about a planned treasonable act involving Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others but failing to report it to the authorities.
They are charged with not taking any steps to prevent the planned crime, despite being aware of it.
The defendants are also facing terrorism charges under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, for allegedly conspiring to commit an act of terrorism in Nigeria.
Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru are accused of attending meetings related to the plot, which allegedly aimed to destabilize Nigeria’s constitutional structure.
The defendants are also accused of supporting terrorism by providing indirect assistance to acts of terror and withholding intelligence that could have helped prevent the attacks.
The financial charges involve several defendants allegedly handling funds tied to terrorism.
Bukar Kashim Goni is accused of holding N50,000,000 from terrorism financing, while Abdulkadir Sani allegedly retained N2,000,000.
Zekeri Umoru is said to have accepted N10,000,000 in cash without going through a financial institution and retained another N8.8 million linked to terrorism financing.
Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim is also accused of possessing N1,000,000, which was part of terrorism financing.
The case will test the government’s commitment to prosecuting those who threaten national security, as the trial begins at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
KanyiDaily recalls that Nollywood actor Stanley Amandi was previously arrested alongside military officers accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu.
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