Federal prosecutors opened their case on April 29, 2026, in the Federal High Court in Abuja against six men accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu's government. An army witness detailed the investigation that uncovered the plot, including arrests, recovered items and financial trails. The trial was accelerated, with further hearings set for May 4 and 5.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, heard testimony from four prosecution witnesses on April 29, 2026, in the trial of six defendants charged with treason and related offences. The defendants are retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Naval Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, serving Police Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani. They pleaded not guilty when arraigned on April 22 and are remanded in DSS custody.
Prosecution witness 'AAA', a soldier from the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police whose identity was shielded, testified that the plot was uncovered after then Chief of Army Staff General O. O. Oluyede received intelligence about Colonel M. A. Ma’aji and others planning a coup. The team arrested Ma’aji, recovering his Samsung Galaxy phone and a jotter containing operational plans, names of officials to assassinate, and post-coup structural changes. Forensic analysis of the phone revealed links to the defendants, code words among plotters, and financial trails involving former Bayelsa Governor Timipre Sylva.
The witness identified Purple Wave as a company used to fund the plot, with EFCC-provided records showing debits totaling over N600 million between September 19 and October 2, 2025, including N100m entries falsely narrated as debris clearing payments. Meetings occurred at Green Land Apartment and BrookVille Hotel in Abuja, where anti-government rhetoric led to regime change plans targeting Niger Barracks and key roads. Evidence included hotel receipts and phone extracts, admitted despite defence objections.
Three bank officials from Jaiz Bank, SunTrust Bank, and Providus Bank tendered account statements linked to defendant Abdulkadir Sani, Purple Wave, and A & A Express Link. Defence lawyers cross-examined them and objected to some exhibits, including audio-visual recordings of statements, which the judge ordered be served before playback. The court adjourned the case to May 4 and 5 for continuation.
