The Nigerian Army, on Wednesday, confirmed before the Federal High Court in Abuja that there was indeed a plot to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu through a coup d’état.
A soldier from the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police (NACMP), whose identity was shielded by order of the court, mounted the witness box and testified against the six alleged masterminds of the alleged coup plot.
The defendants in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026 are retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana; retired Naval Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor; serving Police Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim; and three others—Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.
A former governor of Bayelsa State—who also served as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources under the late former President Muhammadu Buhari—Timipre Sylva was also mentioned in the charge filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.
The former governor is said to be at large after fleeing the country before the alleged coup plot was exposed.
Testifying as the fourth prosecution witness, the Army officer, who was simply identified as “AAA,” told the court that he was part of the team that investigated the matter.
He said the investigation commenced after the then Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General O. O. Oluyede, received an intelligence report that one Colonel M. A. Ma’aji and some others were plotting to overthrow the democratically elected government of President Tinubu.
Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), the PW-4 confirmed to the court that he knew the six defendants.
He added that the defendants were apprehended due to their connection with the coup plot involving Col. Ma’aji, some serving military officers, and civilians.
Sponsored
According to the witness, after his team received the intelligence report by the then COAS, it was analysed, processed and found to be credible.
Afterwards, he said the then COAS directed his team to thoroughly investigate the allegations and report back.
It was the evidence of the witness that, following the then COAS’s instruction, his team proceeded to arrest Col. Ma’aji, during which a Samsung Galaxy phone was retrieved from him.
He said the team equally searched his residence and recovered a jotter, among other items.
The witness told the court that the jotter contained operational plans, names and designations of ranking members of the current regime, as well as officers that were to be assassinated in the course of the coup.
“Inside the jotter, we also found information about political and structural changes that were to be made upon the execution of the coup,” the witness added.
He further told the court that when the phone that was recovered from Col. Ma’aji was sent for forensic analysis, the result showed elaborate plans that linked the Colonel, some military officers, and the defendants in the case.
“We also found financial trails between Ma’aji, former Governor Timipre Sylva and some of the defendants here before the court.
“Also, inside the phone, we found code words known among the plotters, including some of the defendants before this court.
SPONSORED