A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday heard that a plan to topple the administration of President Bola Tinubu through a coup d’état was uncovered by the Nigerian Army.
Testifying before the court, a soldier from the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police (NACMP), whose identity was protected by court order, gave evidence against six individuals accused of masterminding the alleged plot.
The defendants in the case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026, are retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana; retired Naval Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor; serving Police Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim; alongside Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.
Also mentioned in the charge filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice is a former Bayelsa State governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources under the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, Timipre Sylva. He is reportedly at large, having left the country before the alleged plot was exposed.
The witness, identified only as “AAA” and appearing as the fourth prosecution witness, told the court that he participated in the investigation into the matter.
He explained that the probe began after the then Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General O. O. Oluyede, received intelligence indicating that Colonel M. A. Ma’aji and others were planning to overthrow the democratically elected government of President Tinubu.
Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), the witness confirmed that he knew all six defendants and stated that they were arrested over their alleged links to the coup plot involving Col. Ma’aji, some serving military personnel, and civilians.
According to him, the intelligence report received by the then COAS was carefully analysed and deemed credible, prompting a directive for a full-scale investigation.
He said that acting on this directive, the team arrested Col. Ma’aji and recovered a Samsung Galaxy phone from him, alongside a jotter found during a search of his residence.
The witness told the court that the jotter contained operational plans, names and designations of senior members of the current administration, as well as officers allegedly marked for assassination during the execution of the coup.
“Inside the jotter, we also found information about political and structural changes that were to be made upon the execution of the coup,” the witness added.
He further revealed that forensic analysis of the recovered phone uncovered detailed plans linking Col. Ma’aji, other military personnel, and the defendants.
“We also found financial trails between Ma’aji, former Governor Timipre Sylva and some of the defendants here before the court.
“Also, inside the phone, we found code words known among the plotters, including some of the defendants before this court.
“We also observed financial trails between some of the defendants and Col. M. A. Ma’aji. Monies were paid to some of the defendants in pursuit of the coup plot,” the witness added.
The witness also told the court that investigators identified a company, Purple Wave, which he said was used as a channel to fund the alleged plot, with financial records supplied by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
After examining the records, he pointed out multiple transactions which he said were tied to the plot.
According to him, on September 19, 2025, there were debit transactions of N100 million and N50 million. Further transactions followed: on September 22, N100 million and N50 million; September 24, N100 million and N50 million; September 26, N80 million; September 29, N70 million; September 30, N90 million; and October 2, N90 million.
He stated that although the transactions carried descriptions suggesting legitimate purposes, investigations showed the funds were used to support the coup plan.