The Federal Government (FG) is set to arraign six individuals on 22 April over an alleged plot to wage war against Nigeria and carry out acts of terrorism.
They include two retired senior military officers and a serving police inspector, according to court documents sighted by The Port City News (TCPN).
The document showed that the defendants will be arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja on a 13-count charge.
Those listed in the charge are Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (retd), Captain (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (retd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Abdulkadir Sani. Former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, was also named but is currently said to be at large.
The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation filed the charges signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo. The आरोप span allegations of treason, terrorism, failure to disclose critical intelligence and money laundering linked to terror financing.
At the centre of the case is an accusation that the defendants conspired in 2025 to undermine the Nigerian state. Prosecutors alleged that they planned to “levy war against the state” in a bid to intimidate or overpower the President, an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.
The prosecution further claimed that the accused had prior knowledge of a planned treasonable act involving Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others but failed to report it to the authorities. They were also accused of not taking reasonable steps to prevent the alleged plot.
In addition, the Federal Government is pursuing terrorism-related charges under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru were specifically accused of attending meetings linked to terrorist activities, allegedly aimed at advancing a political agenda capable of destabilising Nigeria’s constitutional order.
Prosecutors also alleged that the defendants provided varying forms of support to facilitate terrorist acts and deliberately withheld intelligence that could have helped prevent them.
The case further involves claims of financial dealings connected to terrorism financing. Bukar Kashim Goni was accused of retaining ₦50 million believed to be proceeds of unlawful activity, while Abdulkadir Sani allegedly held ₦2 million from a similar source.
Zekeri Umoru was said to have received ₦10 million in cash outside the formal banking system and retained an additional ₦8.8 million suspected to be linked to terrorism financing. Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim was also accused of possessing ₦1 million tied to the alleged scheme.
Charges related to financial matters were brought under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
