The Federal Government has filed a 13-count charge before a Federal High Court in Abuja against former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, who is reportedly at large, alongside several others over an alleged failed coup attempt.
Those listed in the charge include retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Naval Captain Erasmus Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.
They are expected to be arraigned on Wednesday before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
According to the charge, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), the defendants face allegations ranging from treason and terrorism to failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.
The prosecution alleged that the accused “conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overawe the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” referencing an alleged 2025 plot to topple the government of Bola Tinubu.
It further claimed that the defendants had prior knowledge of a planned treasonable act involving Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others but failed to inform authorities or take steps to prevent it.
“They did not give the information thereof with all reasonable despatch to either the President or a Peace Officer,” the charge stated, adding that the accused also failed to make reasonable efforts to stop the alleged plot.
In addition to treason-related counts, the Federal Government is prosecuting the suspects under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, accusing them of conspiring to commit acts intended to destabilise Nigeria’s constitutional structure.
Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru were specifically accused of participating in meetings linked to terrorist activities and advancing a political ideology deemed capable of undermining national stability.
The charge also includes allegations of providing support for terrorism and deliberately withholding intelligence that could have prevented such acts.
Prosecutors further detailed financial transactions allegedly tied to terrorism financing. Bukar Kashim Goni is accused of retaining N50 million believed to be proceeds of unlawful activity, while Abdulkadir Sani allegedly held N2 million from a similar source.
Zekeri Umoru is accused of accepting N10 million in cash outside formal financial channels and retaining an additional N8.8 million linked to the alleged scheme. Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim was also alleged to have received N1 million connected to the same transactions.
All financial-related charges were brought under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that serving military personnel allegedly involved in the aborted coup plot will be tried separately under military law.
