NIGERIA: Court Remands Suspected Coup Plotters In DSS Custody Following Terrorism Arraignment

By Onoja Baba

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of six individuals in the custody of the Department of State Services following their arraignment on Wednesday afternoon.

The defendants, who face a 13-count charge bordering on treason and terrorism, include retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Naval Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, and serving police inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, alongside three others identified as Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.

A former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and former Governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, is also listed as a defendant in the case but is currently at large.

The legal proceedings, which were presided over by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, began around 1:46 pm but experienced initial delays due to representation and language barriers. The third defendant informed the court that his legal counsel was unavailable, while the sixth defendant required an interpreter as he only understood Arabic and Hausa.

After a brief stand-down to address these issues, the court reconvened at 2:18 pm, where all six defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.

This high-profile case stems from an alleged conspiracy in 2025 to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu. According to the prosecution led by Attorney-General Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), the defendants were involved in a plot to levy war against the state and failed to disclose vital security intelligence regarding a treasonable act involving a certain Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji.

The charges also include allegations of money laundering linked to terrorism financing, with specific claims that Bukar Kashim Goni and Zekeri Umoru handled tens of millions of naira in proceeds from unlawful activities.

The roots of the investigation date back to October 2025, when the federal government abruptly cancelled the 65th Independence Day parade, leading to widespread speculation about a foiled coup attempt. Although the Defence Headquarters initially dismissed those claims, it later confirmed in January 2026 that an investigation into breaches of service regulations had uncovered a plot involving several military personnel.

Before Wednesday’s arraignment, families of the detained officers had spent months appealing for a transparent trial, citing that the suspects had been held for over 160 days without formal charges in an open court.

During the session, the prosecution requested an accelerated hearing and the continued detention of the suspects in DSS custody to ensure national security. While the lawyer for the first defendant indicated plans to file a formal bail application, most of the defense team did not oppose the remand at this stage.

Justice Abdulmalik ultimately granted the request for an expedited trial and ordered that the defendants be held by the DSS, though she stipulated they must be allowed access to their legal representatives. The court has adjourned the matter until April 27, 2026, for the comm

encement of the trial.