The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed December 7 to deliver its ruling in a trial-within-trial involving six persons accused of plotting to violently overthrow President Bola Tinubu.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik fixed the date on Wednesday after prosecution counsel, Maryam Okorie, and lawyers to the defendants adopted their written addresses and presented arguments for and against the admissibility of statements and video recordings tendered by the Federal Government.
The Federal Government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, arraigned the six defendants on April 22 on a 13-count charge bordering on treason, terrorism, failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026, was filed on April 20 by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.
The defendants are retired Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Gana, retired Navy Capt. Erasmus Victor, Insp. Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni and Abdulkadir Sani, listed as the first to sixth defendants respectively.
Former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, who is alleged to be linked to the plot, is listed as being at large.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission declared him wanted on November 10, 2025, over an alleged $14.8 million fraud.
Justice Abdulmalik ordered the trial-within-trial on May 11 after defence lawyers challenged the admissibility of statements and video recordings the prosecution sought to tender, arguing that the defendants made the statements involuntarily.
The fourth prosecution witness, an army officer identified by the codename “AAA” for security reasons, is yet to be discharged from the witness box.
The witness had tendered video recordings of the defendants’ interrogations before the trial-within-trial commenced.
Also Read: Coup probe is slow to ensure justice, says Defence minister
The Federal Government closed its case in the trial-within-trial on June 23, after which the defendants began presenting their defence on June 25.
Following the conclusion of the defence, the judge fixed Wednesday for the adoption of the parties’ written addresses.
During the proceedings, Zekeri Umoru, the fourth defendant, told the court on May 20 that discussions had been held about cutting off electricity supply to the Presidential Villa in Abuja to facilitate the alleged coup.
Umoru, a Julius Berger Nigeria Plc employee in the maintenance department at the Presidential Villa, made the disclosure in a video recording played before Justice Abdulmalik.
He said he warned that such an action would immediately trigger investigations and could lead to the detention of workers on duty if it was carried out.
Umoru also alleged that Col. Mohammed Ma’aji, whom he described as the alleged mastermind of the coup plot, offered him money through Insp. Ahmed Ibrahim, the third defendant, to recruit between 18 and 19 people working inside the Presidential Villa.
According to Umoru, the proposed recruits included soldiers, officials of the Department of State Services and Julius Berger staff.
He told investigators that Ma’aji allegedly said he wanted access to the Presidential Villa and could gain entry “with force” even if those recruited from inside the facility refused to cooperate.
Umoru made the statements while being questioned by members of the Special Investigative Panel that initially investigated the case.
Similarly, Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir, an Islamic cleric and the sixth defendant, said in the video evidence that he had warned the other suspects that the alleged plan would fail and that those behind it would eventually be exposed.
Abdulkadir, a Zaria-based imam, said he was informed about the alleged plot and was recruited to pray against the leakage of information concerning the activities of those behind it.
Crediblenewsng.com
