Alleged Coup Plot: FG Lists Rtd General, Naval Captain, in Charge Before FHC

• Accused charged with alleged treason, terrorism, failure to disclose security intelligence, money laundering for terrorism 

•Ex-minister Sylva mentioned in charge sheet

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The federal government has formally filed charges against six persons for their complicity in an alleged coup plot to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu, sometime last year.

Those accused in the charge brought before the Abuja division of the Federal High Court included two retired military personnel, a serving police inspector, former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva, who was said to be at large, and three others.

The charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026, was filed on April 20, 2026 by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.

Listed as 1st to 6th defendants were Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (Rtd), Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (Rtd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.

The six defendants in the 13-count charge were accused of plotting to levy war against the Federal Republic of Nigeria to overthrow Tinubu.

The alleged offence was said to be punishable under Section 37 (2) of the Criminal Code.

The defendants were scheduled for arraignment on April 22, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

They were charged with alleged treason, terrorism and failure to disclose security intelligence, and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.

According to one of the counts, the defendants allegedly “conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overthrow the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” an offence punishable under Section 37 Subsection 2 of the Criminal Code.

The prosecution 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 alert the authorities.

Beyond treason, the federal government is prosecuting the defendants for terrorism-related offences under the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.

Count one read, “That you, Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (Rtd), Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (Rtd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Abdulkadir Sani, Timipre Sylva (still at large) and others, sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overawe the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code Cap C38 LFN 2004.”

Count 2 read, “That you, Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (Rtd), Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (Rtd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Abdulkadir Sani, Timipre Sylva (still at large) sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court, knowing that Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’ajt (N/10668) and others intended to commit treason, did not give the information thereof with all reasonable dispatch to either the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, or a Peace Officer and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 40(b) of the Criminal Code Cap C38 LFN 2004.”