The trial of six persons accused of plotting to topple President Bola Tinubu’s government took a new turn on Thursday as a Federal High Court in Abuja admitted their statements and interrogation videos as evidence.
Naija News reports that Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ruled that the defendants failed to prove their claims that the confessions were extracted through torture, inducement or coercion.
The defendants had challenged the admissibility of the documents, insisting they did not give the statements voluntarily, prompting the court to order a trial-within-trial on May 11, 2026.
In her ruling, the judge said nothing showed the defendants acted under duress, describing their allegations as an afterthought that was not credible.
The statements and videos were consequently admitted as exhibits. The fourth prosecution witness, a military officer codenamed AAA, tendered the video recordings.
The case was adjourned until December 7 and 10 to continue the trial.
On trial are a retired Major General, Mohammed Gana; retired Navy Captain, Erasmus Victor; police inspector, Ahmed Ibrahim; Zekeri Umoru; Bukar Goni; and Abdulkadir Sani.
The Federal Government arraigned them on April 22, 2026, on 13 counts of treason, terrorism, failure to report security information and money laundering connected to terrorism financing.
The prosecution accused them of plotting to “levy war against the state to overawe the President.”
According to the charge sheet, Goni allegedly kept ₦50 million from terrorism financing, Sani ₦2 million and Ibrahim ₦1 million.
Umoru was accused of collecting ₦10 million in cash outside the banking system and holding another ₦8.8 million suspected to be terror funds.
Ibrahim and Umoru were also said to have taken part in meetings linked to the plot.
Speculation about a coup attempt began after the Federal Government called off the October 1, 2025, Independence Day parade.
Although the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) initially dismissed the reports, it confirmed in January 2026 that investigations had uncovered a plot involving some military personnel.
The families of detained officers have since staged protests and press conferences, calling for open trials and access to their relatives.
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