At least N71.8 million has been traced to alleged coup plotters who plan to overthrow the government of Bola Tinubu, as suspects are set to be arraigned on Wednesday before the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges bordering on treason, terrorism, and money laundering.
The case, which was filed by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation includes a 13-count accusation against a group of military and civilian individuals who are alleged to have plotted to “levy war” against the Nigeria president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in 2025.
Recall that as at January of 2026, the complete list of 16 Nigerian Armed Forces personnel who were charged with serious misconduct by a Special Investigative Panel has been made public by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ).
Major General Samaila Uba, the Director of Defense Information, revealed that the panel had finished its inquiry and discovered that a number of the commanders had cases to answer. According to established protocols and current regulations, he stated that the impacted individuals will now be subject to a military Court Martial, and that a few of them may then be released or kept in custody for additional counts.
Now, the last list of alleged coup plotters includes names of Retired Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, Capt. Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (retd), Insp. Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani. Timipre Sylva, a former minister of state for petroleum, is also named in the case and has been proclaimed at large.
According to the charge sheet, the alleged financial trail tied to the coup plotters includes N50 million said to have been retained by Goni, N2 million linked to Sani, and multiple sums associated with Umoru, including N10 million received in cash outside the banking system and an additional N8.8 million. Ibrahim is also accused of handling N1 million connected to the scheme. The prosecutors claim that the money is a component of proceeds linked to financing terrorism in breach of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In addition to the financial accusations, the alleged coup plotters are charged with concealing information about a planned treasonous act involving other people. According to the charge, they “knowing that and intended to commit treason, did not give the information thereof with all reasonable dispatch” to the President or other appropriate authorities.
The prosecution further alleges that the defendants “conspired with one another to commit an act of terrorism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” including attending gatherings intended to push a political agenda that might undermine the nation’s constitutional framework.
Additionally, the authorities claim that the alleged coup plotters “had information which would be of material assistance in preventing the commission of the act of terrorism but failed to disclose” it promptly and “knowingly and indirectly rendered support” for terrorist acts.
Coup plotters
Following the Federal Government’s sudden cancelation of a parade scheduled to commemorate Nigeria’s 65th anniversary of independence on October 1, 2025, worries about a potential coup attempt initially emerged. The action was soon associated with security risks, including a possible coup attempt.
At the time, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) denied these allegations, arguing that the cancellation had nothing to do with any effort to overthrow the government.
