The Federal Government has filed a 13-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja against six individuals, including two retired senior military officers and a serving police officer, over their alleged involvement in a plot to wage war against Nigeria and commit acts of terrorism.
Those listed in the charge include Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (retd), Captain (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (retd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.
The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday, April 22, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Also named in the charge but said to be at large is former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.
The charge, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo, accuses the defendants of offences ranging from treason and terrorism to failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering.
At the centre of the case is an allegation that the defendants conspired in 2025 to undermine the Nigerian state.
According to the charge, they “conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overawe the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.
The prosecution further alleged that the defendants had prior knowledge of a planned treasonable act involving Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others but failed to inform authorities.
The charge stated that they, “knowing that it was intended to commit treason, did not give the information thereof with all reasonable despatch to either the President… or a Peace Officer.”
They were also accused of failing to take preventive action.
“[They] did not use any reasonable endeavours to prevent the commission of the offence,” the charge added.
Beyond treason, the defendants are being prosecuted under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The Federal Government alleged that they “conspired with one another to commit an act of terrorism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru were specifically accused of attending meetings linked to terrorist activities.
Prosecutors said they acted “in a bid to further a political ideology which may seriously destabilize the constitutional structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The charge also accused the defendants of providing support for terrorism. It stated that they “knowingly and indirectly, rendered support” to facilitate acts of terror.
Additionally, the prosecution alleged suppression of intelligence, claiming the defendants failed to disclose critical information that could have prevented the acts.
₦50m, Others Linked To Terrorism Financing
The case further includes allegations of money laundering linked to terrorism financing.
Bukar Kashim Goni was alleged to have “indirectly retained the aggregate sum of ₦50,000,000 which forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: terrorism financing.”
Abdulkadir Sani was accused of retaining ₦2 million from a similar source.
Zekeri Umoru was said to have “without going through a financial institution accepted a cash payment of the sum of ₦10,000,000,” and also retained N8.8 million suspected to be proceeds of terrorism financing.
Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim was also accused of taking possession of ₦1 million linked to the alleged scheme.
All financial-related charges were brought under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
