Six people who were charged with 13 counts of terrorism and coup plotting in Abuja’s Federal High Court Wednesday pleaded not guilty.
The defendants were brought to court under case number FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026. The prosecution was led by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), and the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), according to The PUNCH.
Maj Gen Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (retd.), Capt (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (retd.), Insp Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani are among the defendants. They are accused of planning to commit acts of terrorism and trying to “levy war” against the Nigerian state.
Timipre Sylva, a former Minister of State for Petroleum, is also named in the accusation as being on the run.
Count one of the charges said, “That you, Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana – (RTD), Captain (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor – (RTD), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim (AP776373), Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, 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.”
They were also accused of not sharing information about the supposed scheme and not taking actions to stop it from happening, even though they knew about plans involving other people who were also accused of being involved.
At around 1:46 PM, the AGF told the court that the charge was ready and asked for it to be read to the defendants.
But the arraignment was briefly put on hold when the third defendant told the court that his lawyer was sick and not there.
Even yet, the trial judge said that the defendant might plead guilty without a lawyer.
Another delay happened when the sixth defendant’s lawyer told the court that his client doesn’t speak or comprehend English, but only Arabic and Hausa, thus an interpreter was needed.
The court put the case on hold and then picked it up again at about 2:18 p.m.
When the trial resumed, the 13-count charge was read, and all six defendants said they were not guilty.
During the plea, one of the defendants said that he knew about the amount of money mentioned in the indictment but denied any connection to terrorism. Another defendant said that the money was a gift and also denied being involved in any terrorist act.
After the pleas, the prosecution asked the court to keep the defendants in the custody of the Department of State Services until the trial and asked for the case to be heard more quickly.
Mohammed Ndayako’s lawyer asked for bail and a short break so that the application could be filed.
He also asked the court to make sure that defense counsel have enough time to meet with their clients in jail to be ready for their case.
In response, the prosecution told the court that the defense would not be denied access to the defendants, pointing out that there are already rules in place for these kinds of encounters.
Chibuike Okah, the second defendant’s lawyer, did not object to the request for an expedited hearing and access to the defendants. Two lawyers offered to represent the third defendant in the absence of his lawyer.
C.D. Okafor’s lawyer did not contest the application, but he did say that it had been hard to get to his client in the past, which he said had made it hard to prepare for a bail application.
The lawyers for the fifth and sixth accused, Mohammed Ibrahim and Sanusi Musa, likewise did not contest the requests for remand and a faster hearing.
In response to the worries, the AGF noted, “What was not said was inherent in what was said by defense counsel.” I have never heard that they couldn’t meet with their clients, and access to detainees follows the rules that are already in place.
He told lawyers to let the right people know ahead of time so that they could meet with their clients.
The prosecution then suggested that the trial start on April 27, 2026.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ordered that the matter be heard more quickly, that the defendants be held in DSS custody, and that they be allowed to talk to their counsel.
“The case is put off until April 27, 2026, when the trial will begin and the bail application will be heard,” the judge said.
Some of the offenders’ wives were present in court, appealing for their husbands to be set free. They said they hadn’t seen their husbands since they were arrested six months ago.
Zekeri Umoru’s wife, who is the fourth defendant, begged for her husband’s release in a video that our reporter saw. She said they had four children and she couldn’t raise them alone.
“I have four kids. My kids have been asking me where their dad is. This is six months old. Nigeria, please help me save my hubby. Please, I’m begging you.
“The kids want to know where their dad is. Please help me save my hubby. I can’t take care of the kids by myself. We are in pain. “Please help me save my husband,” she sobbed.
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