Six Defendants Plead Not Guilty in Alleged Terrorism, Coup Plot Case in Abuja Court

Six defendants on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to a 13-count charge bordering on alleged terrorism and a plot to overthrow the Nigerian government before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The defendants were arraigned in suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026, with the prosecution team led by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), alongside the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).

According to The PUNCH, those charged include Maj. Gen. Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (retd.), Capt. (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (retd.), Insp. Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.

They are facing allegations of conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism, as well as attempting to “levy war” against the Nigerian state. A former Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, was also named in the charge sheet but is currently said to be at large.

Key Allegation

One of the counts accused the defendants of conspiring in 2025 within Abuja to wage war against the state with the aim of overawing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The alleged offence is said to contravene Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

The defendants were also accused of failing to disclose intelligence regarding the alleged plot and not taking steps to prevent its execution despite allegedly having prior knowledge of the plan.

Court Proceedings

The arraignment commenced at about 1:46 pm, after the AGF informed the court that the charge was ready and requested that it be read to the defendants.

However, proceedings briefly faced delays after the third defendant informed the court that his counsel was unavailable due to illness. Despite this, the trial judge ruled that he could still enter his plea.

A further delay occurred when counsel for the sixth defendant informed the court that his client does not speak or understand English, stating that he communicates only in Arabic and Hausa, necessitating the appointment of an interpreter.

The court subsequently stood down the matter and resumed later at about 2:18 pm.

Upon resumption, the 13-count charge was read in open court, and all six defendants pleaded not guilty.

During the hearing, one of the defendants acknowledged recognising a sum referenced in the charge but denied any involvement in terrorism. Another defendant described the said money as a gift, also rejecting any link to the alleged plot.

Bail Applications and Prosecution Response

Following the pleas, the prosecution applied for the defendants to be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) pending trial and urged the court to grant an accelerated hearing.

Counsel for the first defendant, Mohammed Ndayako, applied for bail and requested a short adjournment to formally file the application. He also urged the court to ensure defence lawyers are granted access to their clients to prepare their case adequately.

Responding, the prosecution assured the court that defence counsel would not be denied access, noting that established procedures are in place for meetings with detained defendants.

Counsel for other defendants either did not oppose the prosecution’s requests or raised concerns about limited access to their clients in custody, which they said had affected preparation for bail applications.

Court’s Position

After hearing arguments from both sides, the Attorney-General maintained that access to detainees follows due process, stating that no formal complaint of denial of access had been brought to his attention.

The matter was adjourned for further proceedings, with the court expected to rule on bail and trial management applications in subsequent sittings.