The Federal Government has filed a 13-count charge bordering on treason, terrorism, and money laundering against a group of alleged coup plotters, with their arraignment scheduled for Wednesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The case, to be heard by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, centres on claims that the defendants conspired in 2025 to undermine the Nigerian state and plot actions aimed at overawing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to court documents filed on April 20, 2026, by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), the accused include retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, Captain (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (retd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani. A former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, is also named in the charge but is currently at large.
The prosecution alleges that the defendants not only engaged in a conspiracy to commit treason but also failed to disclose intelligence related to a planned insurrection. Specifically, they are accused of withholding information about a treasonable plot involving Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others, despite having prior knowledge.
One of the counts states that the defendants, “knowing that [a person] intended to commit treason, did not give the information thereof with all reasonable despatch to either the President or a peace officer.” They are also accused of failing to take reasonable steps to prevent the alleged offences.
In addition to treason-related counts under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code, the Federal Government is pursuing terrorism charges under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Prosecutors claim the defendants conspired to commit acts of terrorism and provided support—directly or indirectly—to facilitate such acts.
Particular attention is placed on Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru, who are alleged to have participated in meetings connected to terrorist activities, allegedly in furtherance of a political ideology capable of destabilising Nigeria’s constitutional order.
The charge further accuses the defendants of deliberately suppressing intelligence that could have prevented acts of terrorism, alleging they failed to disclose critical information to relevant authorities in a timely manner.
Financial transactions linked to terrorism financing also form a significant part of the case. Bukar Goni is alleged to have retained N50 million traced to unlawful activities, while Abdulkadir Sani allegedly handled N2 million from a similar source.
Zekeri Umoru is accused of accepting N10 million in cash outside formal financial channels and retaining an additional N8.8 million believed to be proceeds of terrorism financing. Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim is similarly alleged to have taken possession of N1 million connected to the scheme.
These financial-related allegations are being prosecuted under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Overall, the Federal Government describes the case as involving a coordinated network of security personnel, civilians, and a politically exposed individual allegedly linked to activities that threaten national security.
