Alleged Coup Plotters to Face Arraignment April 22 as FG Files Treason Charges

The Federal Government has filed a 13-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja against a retired Major General, a retired Naval Captain, a serving police inspector, and three others over their alleged involvement in a plot to wage war against Nigeria and commit acts of terrorism.

The defendants — Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (rtd), Captain (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (rtd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani  are scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday, April 22, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.

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

The charge, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), lists offences including treason, terrorism, failure to disclose security intelligence, and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.

At the centre of the case is an allegation that the defendants conspired in 2025 to undermine the Nigerian state. According to the charge, they “conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overawe the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.

The prosecution 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.

It stated that they, “knowing that it was intended to commit treason, did not give the information thereof with all reasonable despatch to either the President or a Peace Officer.”

In another count, the defendants were accused of failing to take preventive steps, as they allegedly “did not use any reasonable endeavours to prevent the commission of the offence.”

Beyond treason, the Federal Government is prosecuting the defendants for terrorism-related offences under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Prosecutors allege that they “conspired with one another to commit an act of terrorism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru are specifically accused of participating in meetings linked to terrorist activities, allegedly “in a bid to further a political ideology which may seriously destabilise the constitutional structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

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

Additionally, the prosecution claims the defendants deliberately suppressed intelligence, stating they “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.”

The case also includes allegations of financial transactions tied to terrorism financing. Bukar Kashim Goni is accused of retaining N50 million believed to be proceeds of unlawful activity, while Abdulkadir Sani allegedly retained N2 million from a similar source.

Zekeri Umoru is alleged to have accepted N10 million in cash outside the banking system and retained an additional N8.8 million suspected to be linked to terrorism financing. Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim is also accused of taking possession of N1 million connected to the alleged scheme.

All financial-related charges were brought under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.