The Federal Government has initiated legal proceedings against six individuals, including two retired high-ranking military officers and a police inspector, for an alleged plot to wage war against Nigeria.
The 13-count charge, filed by the Attorney-General’s office, includes accusations of treason, terrorism, and money laundering.
The defendants including retired Major General Mohammed Gana and retired Naval Captain Erasmus Victor are set to appear before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court in Abuja this Wednesday.
Notably, former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, is also named in the charge but remains at large.
Prosecutors allege the group conspired in 2025 to “overpower the President” through armed conflict.
Beyond the primary treason charges, the government claims the defendants possessed prior knowledge of the plot involving Col. Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji but failed to notify security agencies or take steps to prevent the crime.
Beyond treason, the defendants are facing terrorism-related charges under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Prosecutors alleged that they “conspired with one another to commit an act of terrorism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Insp. 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.
In addition, 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.”
On the financial aspect, 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 allegedly “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 N2m from a similar source.
Zekeri Umoru, according to the charge, “without going through a financial institution accepted a cash payment of the sum of N10,000,000,” and also retained an additional N8.8m suspected to be proceeds of terrorism financing.
Insp. Ahmed Ibrahim was also accused of taking possession of “the sum of N1,000,000, being part of proceeds of terrorism financing.”
The upcoming trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja is viewed as a high-stakes test of the government’s commitment to national security.
The case stems from the October 2025 cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary parade a move the Defence Headquarters initially claimed was unrelated to security concerns, despite mounting rumors of a coup.
By late October, authorities confirmed the arrest of 16 officers, and by January 2026, the military officially acknowledged a plot to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Director of Defence Information, Samaila Uba, stated that internal investigations had indicted several personnel, who were slated for military tribunals.
However, the handling of the case has sparked public outcry.
Since March, families of the accused have staged protests—including a demonstration at the National Assembly demanding that the “alleged masterminds” be tried in open court and granted basic visitation rights.
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