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By Victor Osula, Abuja
Nigeria’s federal government has filed a 13-count indictment in the Federal High Court in Abuja against seven people, including retired senior military officers and a serving police inspector, over an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu.
Those named in the indictment include Timipre Sylva, who is reportedly at large; retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana; retired naval captain, Erasmus Ochegobia Victor; the serving police inspector, Ahmed Ibrahim; together with Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Abdulkadir Sani.
The charges, filed by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, accuse the defendants of conspiring in 2025 to “impose war against the State” in an attempt to overthrow the President, a crime bordering on treason under Nigerian law.
Additional counts include terrorism-related offenses, failure to disclose intelligence information and alleged involvement in terrorist financing.
Court documents say the defendants were part of a larger network involving both military and civilian actors.
The indictment also describes an alleged financial trail linked to the plot. Prosecutors allege that Bukar Kashim Goni withheld ₦50 million linked to terrorism financing, while Abdulkadir Sani allegedly held ₦2 million from similar sources. Zekeri Umoru is accused of receiving ₦10 million in cash outside the formal banking system and withholding a further ₦8.8 million, while inspector Ahmed Ibrahim allegedly possessed ₦1 million linked to the scheme.
Some of the defendants are also accused of participating in meetings related to terrorist activities and failing to report intelligence information regarding treasonous plans.
They are expected to be arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on April 22 at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The case is the most substantive legal action yet following months of speculation and investigation into an alleged coup plot that first surfaced in late 2025. At the time, the federal government’s abrupt cancellation of the Independence Day parade sparked rumors of security threats, although Defense headquarters initially rejected any link to a coup attempt.
A few weeks later, reports emerged that several military officers had been arrested. In January 2026, Defense Headquarters publicly confirmed that a plot to overthrow the government had been discovered.
Director of Defense Information Samaila Uba said investigations conducted according to military procedures found the personnel guilty, assuring that those involved will face appropriate judicial processes.
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