The Federal Government has filed a 13-count charge against six individuals, including a retired Major General, a retired Naval Captain, a serving police inspector, and three civilians, over an alleged coup plot and acts of terrorism. The defendants—Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (rtd), Captain (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (rtd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani—are set to be arraigned on Wednesday, April 22, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva is also listed but declared at large. The charges, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by Director of Public Prosecutions Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, include treason, terrorism, failure to disclose security intelligence, and money laundering under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The prosecution alleges the defendants conspired in 2025 to levy war against the state to overawe the President, in violation of Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code. They are also accused of knowing about a planned treasonable act involving Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma'aji and others but failing to report it promptly. Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru are alleged to have attended meetings to further a political ideology that could destabilize Nigeria's constitutional order. The charge claims multiple defendants knowingly supported terrorism, including by suppressing intelligence. Financial counts allege Bukar Kashim Goni retained N50 million from terrorism financing, Abdulkadir Sani held N2 million, Zekeri Umoru accepted N10 million in cash and retained N8.8 million more, and Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim possessed N1 million—all linked to unlawful activities.
Timipre Sylva is named in a treason case yet remains at large while lower-ranking officials face arraignment, raising questions about the symmetry of accountability. The inclusion of a serving police inspector and retired military officers suggests internal breaches of state security protocols. If intelligence was suppressed by those sworn to protect the system, public trust in security institutions is directly undermined. The financial allegations, including N50 million linked to terrorism financing, point to a network with material capacity, not just intent.
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