The Federal Government on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, arraigned six individuals, including former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, a retired Major General, a retired Naval Captain, and a serving police inspector, before a Federal High Court in Abuja over an alleged 2025 plot to overthrow the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Those arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik include retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Naval Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani — with Sylva listed as being at large after failing to appear in court.
The 13-count charge, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by Director of Public Prosecutions Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, includes allegations of conspiracy to commit treason, terrorism, failure to disclose security intelligence, money laundering, and terrorism financing.
According to the charge sheet, the defendants “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 government also alleged that the defendants had prior knowledge of a planned treasonable act involving Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others but failed to alert authorities or take reasonable steps to prevent the offence.
Specific financial allegations include Bukar Kashim Goni accused of retaining ₦50 million in proceeds of terrorism financing, Abdulkadir Sani alleged to have held ₦2 million from a similar source, and Zekeri Umoru accused of accepting ₦10 million in cash without using a financial institution and retaining an additional ₦8.8 million. Inspector Ibrahim was also accused of possessing ₦1 million linked to the alleged scheme.
Rumours of the coup plot first surfaced in October 2025 when the government abruptly cancelled a planned military parade to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary. The military initially denied any plot, but in January 2026 the Defence Headquarters announced that 16 military officers would face court martial over an alleged attempt to overthrow the President.
Sylva has previously denied any involvement in a coup plot, describing the allegations as politically motivated.
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