One of the six defendants on trial for an alleged plot to overthrow the Bola Tinubu government, Zekari Umoru, claims he was duped into becoming involved.
The assertion was made by Umoru, a Julius Berger Nigeria Plc employee who works in the presidential villa’s maintenance department, in a video recording of his extrajudicial testimony that was shown on Tuesday in front of Joyce Abdulmalik, a judge of the federal high court in Abuja, and monitored by ENigeria Newspaper.
Umoru claims that in order to help him land electrical duties at a building construction site, one Ibrahim, who is a police inspector attached to the presidential clinic and also currently tried, introduced him to a man named Hassan Mohammed, whom he subsequently came to know as “Col. Mohammed Ma’aji.”
Umoru informed the court that because money payments to Ma’aji were sent under the name Hassan Mohammed, he first thought Ma’aji was a civilian businessman. He claimed that Ma’aji frequently gave him cash, sometimes in front of Ibrahim.
He claimed that during one of the gatherings at a location known as “Tiger Bar,” Ma’aji ordered drinks and inquired about their occupations before giving him and the other attendees between N100,000 and N120,000. He did, however, remember that Maaji eventually gave him a Ghana-Must-Go bag full of cash, but he didn’t tell him why until much later.
He claimed that Ibrahim later informed him that Ma’aji was dissatisfied with the nation’s situation and intended to “sanitize the administration” with the help of anonymous acquaintances referred to as “boys.” In expectation of cash benefits, the defendant also claimed that Ibrahim discussed a scheme involving an ambulance driver who may assist in gaining entry to the presidential villa.
Umoru contended that he was misinformed and denied knowing of any specific plan to topple the government in spite of the allegations. The defendant maintained that Ibrahim had tricked him and denied participating in any coup attempt throughout the video evidence.
He continued by saying that if he had been aware that Ma’aji was purportedly involved in efforts to remove the president, he would have cut connections with Ma’aji.
The court also watched a another video in which Sheikh Imam Kassim Goni, an Islamic cleric, denied any role in the purported coup attempt.
Investigators were informed by Goni that the money he got from Ma’aji was only used for “prayers and charity activities,” including spiritual interventions related to purported promotion difficulties.
Alleged presidential coup
Six individuals are being prosecuted by the federal government through the federation’s attorney general’s office for allegedly plotting to topple the Tinubu-led federal government.
Umoru, retired captain Ibrahim Mohammed Gana, retired navy captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani are among the defendants in the accusation designated FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026.
On April 22, the court arraigned them on thirteen counts.
