A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday watched video recordings of investigators’ interview sessions with three of the six men being prosecuted over an alleged plot to overthrow the President Bola Tinubu administration.
In the video recordings played in open court, two of the three defendants, retired Navy Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor and Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim (second and third defendants), admitted being aware of the coup plot, while retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana denied knowledge of the plot.
The video recordings are contained in a hard disc tendered by the prosecution, but against which lawyers to the defendants have raised objections about admissibility on the grounds that their clients did not make the statements voluntarily.
The defence lawyers also objected to having the recordings played in open court when they had yet to be admitted in evidence.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik overruled them and ordered that the recordings be played, noting that it was standard practice.
Justice Abdulmalik said she noted the objection raised by the defence team and that a trial-within-trial would be conducted to ascertain the voluntariness or otherwise of the statements.
The first interview session shown was that of Maj. Gen. Gana, who said he retired from the Nigerian Army in 2010 as Chief of Defence Logistics and had since lived a quiet life.
Gana, who said he has never been involved in any act of indiscipline or crime, told investigators that he knows the alleged mastermind of the plot, Colonel M. A. Ma’aji.
Gana said he learnt that Ma’aji had issues with his promotion but did not know he was planning a coup, adding that if he was aware, he would have reported it.
The retired major general said his name first came up in connection with the alleged plot in relation to a two million naira transfer, which investigators linked to him.
He also admitted sharing via WhatsApp a copy of the coup speech read by Joshua Dongayaro during an earlier coup in the country.
He further admitted sharing, through the same means, some messages containing anti-government rhetoric, but explained that he only forwarded the material as received and did not edit or originate it.
When investigators told him that the coup speech recovered from Colonel Ma’aji was tailored in line with the coup-related speech he forwarded, Gana said he did not know.
Retired Captain Victor (the second defendant) admitted knowing Ma’aji and being aware of the plot to overthrow the government but did not report it to any security agency because of his relationship with him.
Retired Captain Victor (the second defendant) admitted knowing Ma’aji and being aware of the plot to overthrow the government but did not report it to any security agency because of his relationship with him.
He said Ma’aji had complained about his stalled promotion and, “out of anger, he said he wants to overthrow the system.”
Victor said he advised against such an act and suggested that the officer consider retirement instead.
He admitted in the video that he was approached to render financial support, assist in raising funds for the plot, or help them acquire an apartment, with an assurance of being offered an appointment when the coup succeeded.
The retired Navy captain said he declined involvement in the plot, confirmed that he continued communication using a secure messaging platform, and acknowledged that coded language was used in discussions.
He insisted he was not part of any operational arrangement and that he never rendered any assistance as requested by Ma’aji.