Six In Court Over Alleged Plot to Overthrow Tinubu

Six people have been charged in Nigeria over an alleged coup plot that was planned for Independence Day 2025, with new court documents revealing key details about how the operation was supposed to happen and who may have been involved.

For months, there were rumours and secrecy surrounding the alleged attempt to remove President Bola Tinubu from power. The plan was said to take place on 1 October 2025, the day Nigeria marked 65 years of independence from the UK. On that day, a major parade expected to be attended by the president was suddenly cancelled. At the time, both the government and the military did not explain why.

In January, the military confirmed that 16 senior officers would face a court-martial over an alleged plot. However, they did not give full details. Now, prosecutors at the Federal High Court in Abuja have released documents that give a clearer picture of the alleged plan.

The six people currently on trial include civilians, a serving police inspector, and retired military officers. Because of this, they cannot be tried in a military court. They have all denied 13 charges, including treason, terrorism, and money laundering.

Court documents name Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji as the alleged mastermind. He is a 50-year-old officer from Niger state who built his career in the Niger Delta during a time of serious oil militancy. He is said to have had close links with Timipre Sylva, a former governor and ex-oil minister.

Although Sylva has not been officially charged, his name appears several times in the case with the words “still at large.” Investigators believe he may have helped finance the plot. His spokesman has denied all claims, calling them politically motivated.

According to investigators, large sums of money were used to prepare for the alleged takeover. Some civilians are accused of receiving between 2 million and 50 million naira, which they “reasonably ought to have known forms proceeds of an unlawful act… terrorism financing”.

The alleged plan involved attacking the heavily guarded Aso Rock presidential villa in Abuja. The plotters were said to have insider information, including help from a worker at the villa. After taking control, they allegedly planned to detain top leaders. A military source also claimed there were plans to assassinate the president and other senior officials.

Authorities reportedly discovered the plot before it could happen and made several arrests. Concerns about the scale of the plan led to the cancellation of the Independence Day parade.

More suspects have also been linked to the case. Islamic cleric Sani Abdulkadir was briefly released by court order before being re-arrested. He is accused of receiving $1,500 to act as a “spiritual ‘prayer-warrior’ for the operation”.

Another person mentioned is Nollywood actor Stanley Amandi, also known as Stan K. He is believed to have been recruited to act as a “propagandist” to support the takeover using media and film.

Nigeria has a history of military coups but has been under civilian rule since 1999. The last successful coup happened in 1993 under General Sani Abacha.

The current case has raised serious concerns across the country. Many Nigerians are waiting to see what more will be revealed during the trial, which is expected to provide deeper insight into what could have been one of the most serious threats to democracy in recent years.

Source: BBC