Treason Charges Filed in Nigeria Following Alleged Independence Day Coup Plot

Tue Apr 21 2026 19:27:08 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Six individuals, including a retired major general and a police inspector, face treason charges for an alleged coup attempt to overthrow President Bola Tinubu during Nigeria's Independence celebrations. A former governor is still at large as the case unfolds.

Six people, including military and civilian officials in Nigeria, have been charged with treason and other offenses for allegedly conspiring to overthrow President Bola Tinubu, following the cancellation of the country's Independence Day parade in 2025. The charges, filed in a federal court, suggest the accused were part of a broader coup plot linked to financial motivations and security threats.

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 but the court documents mentioned that he was still at large.

Rumours of the coup plot first surfaced in October 2025 when the government abruptly cancelled a planned military parade to mark Nigeria's 65th Independence Anniversary.

Initially, officials cited security threats but speculation quickly linked the cancellation to a possible coup plot.

Despite the military denying the allegations, in January, they announced that 16 officers would face trial before a military court for attempting to oust the president.

It remains unclear whether the charges filed in the Federal High Court, which also include terrorism and money laundering, are in addition to the military prosecutions.

Those named in the Attorney General's case include:

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.

According to the charge sheet, the six defendants "conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overawe" the president.

The coup plot is alleged to have been led by Col Mohammed Alhassan Ma'aji, who was arrested along with other accomplices.

Prosecutors allege that the defendants had prior knowledge of Col Ma'aji's "treasonable act" but failed to inform authorities. The charges also indicate a suppression of intelligence related to an intent to destabilise the state and the failure to disclose information that could prevent terrorism.

Money laundering allegations are significant in the case, with accusations that finances linked to the coup attempt may indicate a broader conspiracy.

Under Nigerian law, treason is one of the most severe criminal offences, potentially leading to life imprisonment.

Nigeria has maintained civilian rule since 1999, with the armed forces consistently asserting their loyalty to the democratically elected government.