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 in the court documents. But Sylva is still at large. The government knows who he is. It has not yet caught him.
The Plot That Canceled a Celebration
Rumors of the coup plot first surfaced in October 2025 when the government abruptly canceled a planned military parade to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary. At the time, officials cited security threats. But speculation quickly linked the cancellation to a possible coup plot. The military denied the suggestion. In January, however, it announced that 16 officers were to be tried before a military court for attempting to oust the president.
It is unclear whether the charges filed in the Federal High Court — which also include terrorism and money laundering — are in addition to the military prosecutions or separate from them. What is clear is that the government is treating the threat with maximum legal force.
The Accused
Those named in the Attorney General’s case are:
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.
The list is striking. It includes military, naval, and police personnel — a cross-section of the security apparatus. It also includes a civilian electrician who worked inside the Presidential Villa, suggesting the plot had eyes inside the seat of power. And it includes an Islamic cleric, raising questions about ideological or religious dimensions to the conspiracy.
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. The court papers suggest the coup plot was led by Col. Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji, who was arrested along with other accomplices. Prosecutors also allege the defendants had prior knowledge of Ma’aji’s “treasonable act” but failed to inform authorities.
The charges include the suppression of intelligence. Prosecutors allege the defendants were intent on destabilizing the state and failed to disclose information that could have helped prevent terrorism. Money-laundering allegations form a significant part of the case, with accusations that money changed hands linked to the financing of terrorism.
The Legal Stakes
Under Nigerian law, treason is one of the most serious criminal offenses and can attract severe penalties, including life imprisonment. The government is not pursuing a minor case. It is pursuing a case that goes to the heart of state security.
The inclusion of terrorism and money laundering charges suggests the prosecution is building a layered argument: not just that the defendants plotted a coup, but that they did so with financial backing and in a manner that threatens the broader fabric of national security.
The fact that a seventh person — a former governor and oil minister — is still at large raises questions about how high the conspiracy reached. Timipre Sylva is not a fringe figure. He has held senior positions in Nigerian government. If prosecutors believe he was involved, the political implications extend far beyond the six people currently in custody.
The Context
Nigeria has experienced a period of unbroken civilian rule since 1999. The armed forces have consistently stressed their loyalty to civilian authority, often issuing public statements reaffirming their commitment to democracy. That makes any coup plot — even one that was thwarted — a significant event.
The government’s decision to cancel the Independence Day parade in October 2025 was the first public sign that something was wrong. The military’s January announcement that 16 officers would face court-martial was the second. Now, the Attorney General’s charges in federal court are the third. Each layer suggests a conspiracy that was broader and more organized than initially acknowledged.
The government will likely present the charges as evidence of its vigilance and the military’s loyalty. But the fact that a retired major general, a serving police inspector, and a Presidential Villa electrician were allegedly involved suggests vulnerabilities that will trouble security planners.
The Bottom Line
Nigeria has charged six people with treason over an alleged coup plot targeting President Bola Tinubu. The accused include a retired major general, a retired navy captain, a serving police inspector, a Presidential Villa electrician, a civilian, and an Islamic cleric. A seventh person, former governor and oil minister Timipre Sylva, has also been named but remains at large. The charges include treason, terrorism, and money laundering. The defendants are due to appear in court on Wednesday.
The plot was first suspected in October 2025 when the government canceled an Independence Day military parade. The military denied coup rumors at the time but later announced it would try 16 officers. Now, the civilian prosecution has begun.
Nigeria’s democracy has survived since 1999. This time, the threat was caught before it could strike. But the charges reveal a plot that reached into the military, the police, and even the Presidential Villa itself.
