The Federal Government has filed a 13-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja against six individuals, including two retired senior military officers and a serving police inspector, over an alleged plot to wage war against Nigeria and commit acts of terrorism.
The defendants—retired Major General Mohammed Gana, retired Naval Captain Erasmus Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani are scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday, April 22, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
Also named in the charge, though said to be at large, is former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.
The charge, filed on Monday by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by Director of Public Prosecutions Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), accuses the defendants of offences including treason, terrorism, failure to disclose security intelligence, and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.
Prosecutors alleged that the defendants conspired in 2025 “to levy war against the state and overpower the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.
The Federal Government 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 report it to the authorities.
According to the charge, the defendants, “knowing that a treasonable act was intended to be committed, did not give information thereof with all reasonable despatch to either the President… or a peace officer.”
They were also accused of failing to take preventive action, with the prosecution stating that they “did not use any reasonable endeavours to prevent the commission of the offence.”
Beyond treason allegations, the defendants are facing charges under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Prosecutors said they “conspired with one another to commit an act of terrorism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru were specifically accused of attending meetings allegedly linked to the plot “in furtherance of a political ideology capable of seriously destabilising the constitutional structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The charge also alleged that the defendants provided support for terrorism by “knowingly and indirectly” facilitating acts intended to support terrorist activities.
They were further accused of suppressing critical intelligence, with prosecutors stating they withheld information that could have helped prevent the alleged attack and failed to promptly report it to relevant security agencies.
On the financial front, several defendants were accused of handling funds suspected to be proceeds of terrorism financing, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Bukar Goni allegedly “indirectly retained the aggregate sum of N50,000,000, which forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: terrorism financing,” while Abdulkadir Sani was accused of retaining N2 million from similar sources.
Zekeri Umoru was also alleged to have received N10 million in cash outside a financial institution and retained an additional N8.8 million suspected to be proceeds of terrorism financing.
Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim was accused of taking possession of N1 million, also alleged to be linked to terrorism financing.
The case is expected to test the Federal Government’s resolve in prosecuting alleged threats to national security when proceedings begin at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In October 2025, the Federal Government cancelled a ceremonial parade scheduled to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary on October 1.
Days later, reports emerged linking the cancellation to an alleged coup plot, though the Defence Headquarters dismissed the claims, insisting the decision was unrelated.
Later that month, authorities confirmed the arrest of 16 military officers in early October over the alleged plot, while two others were declared wanted.
In January 2026, the Defence Headquarters said investigations had confirmed elements of a planned attempt to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with those implicated expected to face military judicial proceedings.
In March, families of detained officers appealed for open court trials, while in April they staged protests at the National Assembly demanding a speedy hearing and improved access to the detainees.
