Nigerian Authorities Charge Six with Treason Amid Coup Plot Allegations

Tue Apr 21 2026 15:58:14 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

In a significant legal move, Nigeria has charged six individuals, including military personnel and a police officer, with treason for their alleged involvement in a plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu. This follows earlier rumors of a coup that emerged during the country's Independence Day celebrations.

Six individuals have been charged with treason in Nigeria for allegedly planning a coup against President Bola Tinubu. Charges including terrorism and money laundering have been filed by the Attorney General in a case linked to rumors of a military upheaval that surfaced during a cancelled Independence Day parade. The suspects are set to appear in court, while former oil minister Timipre Sylva remains at large.

Six people in Nigeria, including a retired major general and a serving police inspector, have been charged with treason for attempting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu in a coup last year.

The charges were filed by the Attorney General at the Federal High Court in the capital, Abuja, where the defendants are due to appear before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on Wednesday.

A seventh person - a former governor and one-time oil minister, Timipre Sylva - was also named but the court documents indicated that he was still at large.

Rumours of the coup plot first surfaced in October 2025 when the government abruptly cancelled a planned military parade to mark Nigeria's 65th Independence Anniversary.

At that time, officials cited security threats, but speculation quickly linked the cancellation to a possible coup plot.

The military denied the suggestion, but in January it announced that 16 officers were to be tried before a military court for attempting to oust the president.

It remains unclear whether the charges filed in the Federal High Court, which also include terrorism and money laundering, are in addition to the military prosecutions.

Those named in the Attorney General's case include:

Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, a retired major general
Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, a retired navy captain
Ahmed Ibrahim, a police inspector
Zekeri Umoru, an electrician working at the Presidential Villa
Bukar Kashim Goni, a civilian
Abdulkadir Sani, an Islamic cleric.

According to the charge sheet, the six defendants, who have yet to comment on the allegations, conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overawe the president.

Prosecutors claim that the coup plot was led by Col Mohammed Alhassan Ma'aji, who was arrested along with additional accomplices.

They allege the defendants had knowledge of Col Ma'aji's treasonable act but failed to report it to authorities. The charges include the suppression of intelligence, alleging that the defendants intended to destabilize the state and withheld information that could have helped prevent terrorism.

Additionally, there are significant allegations of money laundering linked to funding terrorist activities.

Under Nigerian law, treason is one of the most serious criminal offenses, carrying penalties that can include life imprisonment.

Nigeria has maintained a period of unbroken civilian rule since 1999, with the armed forces consistently vowing loyalty to civilian authority and democracy.