The Federal Government has filed a 13-count charge bordering on treason, terrorism, failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering against seven men, including former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva, over an alleged plot to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu. Court documents filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja name retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Naval Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, serving Police Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Abdulkadir Sani as defendants, while Sylva was listed as being at large.
The charge was filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN). Prosecutors alleged that the accused conspired to “levy war against the state” in a bid to overawe the President, an offence said to be punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code. They were also accused of withholding information about a planned treasonable act allegedly involving Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others, instead of reporting it promptly to the authorities.
Beyond the treason counts, the government accused the defendants of participating in terrorism-related activities under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. According to the charge, Inspector Ibrahim and Umoru attended meetings linked to activities intended to advance a political ideology capable of destabilising Nigeria’s constitutional order. Prosecutors further alleged that some of the defendants handled funds tied to terrorism financing. Goni was accused of retaining N50 million, Sani N2 million, Umoru N8.8 million in addition to accepting N10 million cash outside the banking system, and Inspector Ibrahim N1 million, all said to be proceeds of unlawful acts.
The case is the most significant civilian prosecution yet arising from rumours of a coup plot that first surfaced in October 2025, when the government abruptly cancelled Nigeria’s Independence Day parade. In January 2026, the military said 16 officers would face court martial over allegations linked to an attempt to overthrow the government, although it remains unclear how that military case overlaps with the fresh civilian prosecution.
Sylva, a former Bayelsa governor and Buhari-era petroleum minister, had previously denied any connection to a coup plot after security operatives searched his residence last year. Reuters also reported separately in November 2025 that an arrest warrant had been issued for him in an unrelated graft case involving alleged conspiracy and dishonest conversion of funds. As of the latest reports, the six other defendants were in custody and expected in court, while Sylva had not publicly responded to the new treason filing.
