Justice Joyce Abdulmalik issued the order on Wednesday following a request to that effect by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice AGF, Prince Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN, who led the federal government lawyers in the trial.
At the arraignment, all the six accused persons denied the 13- count treason charges brought against them by the federal government.
Shortly after their plea was taken, Fagbemi SAN applied for accelerated trial of the defendants which was promptly granted by the Court along with remand at the DSS custody.
Attempt by some of the lawyers to move oral applications for bail of their clients was rejected by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik who ordered them to file formal applications.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik fixed April 27 for commencement of trial of the accused persons.
She also ordered that their lawyers be allowed to access them for effective preparation of their defense in the charges against them.
Sunusi Musa SAN who stood for the renowned Islamic Cleric, Sheik Abdukadir Sani Zaria thanked the AGF for the request to remand the accused persons at the DSS custody.
He said that the DSS had been very civil and respects the rights of his client since he was moved from the detention facility of the Defense Intelligence Agency DIA where he claimed no one was allowed to access detainees.
One of the defendants, retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana was brought to the court on wheelchair on accounts of his ill health and old age.
Tinubu.
They include former governor of governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva said to be at large
Those put-on trial in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026 are retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Navy Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Abdulkadir Sani.
In the 13-count charge, they were accused of plotting to levy war against the federal Republic of Nigeria to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The alleged offence is said to be contrary and punishable under section 37, 2, of the Criminal Code.
The charge was filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.
The federal government accused the defendants of treason, terrorism financing and failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.
The defendants allegedly “conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overthrow the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” an offence punishable under Section 37 subsection 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.
Apart from treason, the Federal Government is prosecuting the defendants for terrorism-related offences under the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.
COUNT 1; That you, …MAJOR GENERAL MOHAMMED IBRAHIM GANA -RTD, CAPTAIN, NN, ERASMUS OCHEGOBIA VICTOR -RTD, INSPECTOR AHMED IBRAHIM, AP776373, ZEKERI UMORU, BUKAR KASHIM GONI, ABDULKADIR SANI, TIMPRE SYLVA, still at large, and others, sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overawe the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 37, 2, of the Criminal Code Cap C38 LFN 2004.
Count 2; That you, MAJOR GENERAL MOHAMMED IBRAHIM GANA -RTD, CAPTAIN, NN, ERASMUS OCHEGOBIA VICTOR -RTD, INSPECTOR ED IBRAHIM, AP776373, ZEKERI UMORU, BUKAR KASHIM NI, ABDULKADIR SANI, TIMPRE SYLVA, still at large and hers, sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honorable Court, knowing that COLONEL MOHAMMED ALHASSAN MA’AJT, N/10668, and others intended to commit treason, did not give the information thereof with all reasonable dispatch to either the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, or a Peace Officer and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 40,b, of the Criminal Code Cap C38 LFN 2004.
COUNT 3…That you, MAJOR GENERAL MOHAMMED IBRAHIM GANA -RTD, CAPTAIN, NN, ERASMUS OCHEGOBIA VICTOR -RTD, INSPECTOR AHMED IBRAHIM, AP776373, ZEKERI UMORU, BUKAR KASHIM GONI, ABDULKADIR SANI, TIMPRE SYLVA, still at large, and others, sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, knowing that COLONEL MOHAMMED ALHASSAN MA’‘AIJI, N/10668, and others intended to commit treason, did not use any reasonable endeavors to prevent the commission of the offence and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 40,b, of the Criminal Code Cap C 38, LFN, 2004.
COUNT 4… That you. MAJOR GENERAL MOHAMMED IBRAHIM GANA -RTD, CAPTAIN, NN, ERASMUS OCHEGOBIA VICTOR -RTD, INSPECTOR AHMED IBRAHIM, AP776373, ZEKERI UMORU, BUKAR KASHIM GONI, ABDULKADIR SANI, TIMPRE SYLVA, still at large, and others, sometime in the year 2025 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, conspired with one another to commit an act of terrorism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 26, 1, of the Terrorism, Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.
Also Read: FG slams 13-count treason charge on coup plotterss
COUNT 5 …That you, INSPECTOR AHMED IBRAHIM, AP 776373, AND ZEKERI UMORU, sometime in the year 2025 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, in a bid to further a political ideology which may seriously destabilize the constitutional structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, knowingly participated in meetings connected with an act of terrorism and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections 2, 3, d and 12, a, of the Terrorism, Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.
COUNT 6….That you, MAJOR GENERAL MOHAMMED IBRAHIM GANA -RTD, CAPTAIN, NN, ERASMUS OCHEGOBIA VICTOR -RTD, INSPECTOR AHMED IBRAHIM, AP 776373, ZEKERI UMORU, BUKAR KASHIM GONI, ABDULKADIR SANI, AND TIMPRE SYLVA, still at large, sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court knowingly and indirectly, rendered support to COLONEL MOHAMMED ALHASSAN MA’‘AIJI, N/10668 and others, to commit an act of terrorism, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 13, 1, a, of the Terrorism, Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.
COUNT 7….That you, MAJOR GENERAL MOHAMMED IBRAHIM GANA -RTD, CAPTAIN, NN, ERASMUS OCHEGOBIA VICTOR -RTD, INSPECTOR AHMED IBRAHIM, AP 776373, ZEKERI UMORU, BUKAR KASHIM GONI, ABDULKADIR SANI, AND TIMPRE SYLVA, still at large, sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court had information which you knew would be of material assistance in venting the commission of the act of terrorism by COLONEL OHAMMED ALHASSAN MA‘AJI, N/10668, and others, failed to lose the information to the relevant agency as soon as practicable, and really committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 6, 1, a, of the Terrorism, Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.
COUNT 8 …That you, MAJOR GENERAL MOHAMMED IBRAHIM GANA -RTD, CAPTAIN, NN, ERASMUS OCHEGOBIA VICTOR -RTD, INSPECTOR AHMED IBRAHIM, AP 776373, ZEKERI UMORU, BUKAR KASHIM GONI, ABDULKADIR SANI, AND TIMPRE SYLVA, still at large, sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court had information which you knew would be of material assistance in securing the apprehension of COLONEL MOHAMMED ALHASSAN MA‘AJI, NN/ 10668, and others for an offence of terrorism, failed to disclose the information to the relevant agency as soon as practicable, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 16, 1, b, of the Terrorism, Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.
COUNT 9 …That you, ABDULKADIR SANI, on or about the 23 day of September,2025, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, indirectly retained the sum of N2,000,000.00 in your Jaiz Bank Account Number 0005620270 from A & A Express Link Concept, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: terrorism financing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18, 2, d of the Money Laundering, Prevention and Prohibition Act,2022 and punishable under Section 18, 3, of the same Act.
COUNT 10…That you, BUKAR KASHIM GONI, in September,2025, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, indirectly retained the aggregate sum of N50,000,000.00 only in your First Bank Account Number 3021511166 from A & A Express Link Concept, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: terrorism financing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18, 2,d of the Money Laundering, Prevention and Prohibition Act,2022 and punishable under Section 18 3, of the same Act.
COUNT 11….That you, ZEKERI UMORU, in September,2025, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, without going through a financial institution accepted a cash payment of the sum of N10,000,000.00 only from Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Maa‘aji and thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 2,1,a, and 19, 1, d, of the Money Laundering, Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19, 2, d of the same Act.
COUNT 12….That you, ZEKERI UMORU, in September,2025, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, indirectly retained the aggregate sum of N8,800,000.00 only in your Zenith Bank Plc Account Number 2006041878, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: terrorism financing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18,2,d, of the Money Laundering, Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18, 3, of the same Act.
COUNT 13…That you, INSPECTOR AHMED IBRAHIM, in September,2025, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, directly took possession of the sum of N1,000,000.00 only from COLONEL MOHAMMED ALHASSAN MA’AJI, N/ 10668, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: wagging war against the state and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 of the Money Laundering, Prevention and Prohibition Act,2022 punishable under Section 18,3, of the same Act.
