The Federal Government of Nigeria on Wednesday arraigned individuals accused of plotting to remove President Bola Tinubu from office before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, led the prosecution, with all defendants present in court except former Petroleum Minister Timipre Sylva, who was declared at large.
A retired Major General, Ibrahim Gana, appeared in court in a wheelchair, while proceedings were briefly delayed to provide interpretation for one defendant, Sheikh Abdulkadir Sanni, who speaks Hausa and Arabic.
All defendants pleaded not guilty to the 13-count charge, which includes allegations of treason, terrorism, money laundering linked to terrorism financing, and failure to disclose intelligence on a planned attack against the state.
The prosecution alleged that the accused conspired in 2025 to wage war against the government and attempted to “overpower the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” It also claimed that they attended meetings linked to a political ideology aimed at destabilising Nigeria’s constitutional order.
The government further accused some defendants, including Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru, of attending secret meetings connected to the alleged plot and of failing to report intelligence that could have prevented the offences.
Justice Abdulmalik ordered that the defendants be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services and granted an accelerated hearing, with trial scheduled for 27 April.
The case follows earlier reports linking the alleged plot to the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary parade in October 2025, though the Defence Headquarters Nigeria later denied that the cancellation was related.
In January 2026, the Defence Headquarters confirmed that some military personnel were under investigation over an alleged coup attempt, while families of detained suspects have since called for open court proceedings and access to the accused.