Olushola Omogbehin
Nigerian government has filed a 13-count charge against the former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva and some senior military officers over an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu.
They six of them will be arraigned on Wednesday before the Federal High Court in Abuja over an alleged plot to wage war against Nigeria and overthrow the President.
Others are retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Naval Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Abdulkadir Sani.
They will appear before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik om Wednesday 22nd April, 2026.
Punch reports that the charge was filed on Monday by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).
They were said to have allegedly conspired in 2025 “to levy war against the state to overpower the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
They are charged on offences bordering on conspiracy, attempt to commit treason, terrorism, failure to disclose security intelligence, financing terrorism and money laundering, which are contrary and punishable under Section 37 (2) of the Criminal Code.
The prosecution further alleged that the defendants had prior knowledge of a planned treasonable act involving one Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others but failed to alert authorities.
As well, Abdulkadir Sani was accused of receiving N2m on September 23, 2025, while Bukar Kashim Goni allegedly retained N50m from accounts linked to A & A Express Link Concept.
Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru were further accused of attending meetings allegedly linked to the plot “in a bid to further a political ideology which may seriously destabilise the constitutional structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
By this, the charge alleged that the defendants “knowingly and indirectly, rendered support” for acts of terrorism and also failed to disclose critical intelligence to security agencies.
Zekeri Umoru was also accused of receiving N10m cash from Colonel Ma’aji and retaining N8.8m in his account, while Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim allegedly received N1m from the same source.
The offences, according to the charge, contravene Sections 37(2), 40(b), 26(1), 2(3)(d), 12(a), 13(1)(a), and 16(1)(a)(b) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
It also contravenes the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
