BREAKING: FG charges Timipre Sylva, others over alleged coup plot, terrorism

The Federal Government has filed a 13-count charge before a Federal High Court in Abuja against former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, a retired Major General, a retired Naval Captain, a serving police inspector and three others over their alleged involvement in a plot to wage war against Nigeria and commit acts of terrorism.

The other defendants are Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (retd), Captain Erasmus Victor (retd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni and Abdulkadir Sani.

They are scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.

According to the charge, Sylva is currently said to be at large.

The case, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), accuses the defendants of offences ranging from treason and terrorism to failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.

At the centre of the allegations is a claim that the accused persons conspired in 2025 to undermine the Nigerian state.

The prosecution alleged that they conspired to levy war against the country in a bid to overawe the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, an offence said to be punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.

The government further claimed the defendants had prior knowledge of a planned treasonable act involving one Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others, but failed to report the plot to either the President or law enforcement authorities.

They were also accused of failing to take reasonable steps to prevent the alleged offence.

Beyond the treason allegations, the Federal Government is prosecuting the defendants for terrorism-related offences under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

According to the charge, the accused persons conspired to commit acts of terrorism within Nigeria.

Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru were specifically accused of participating in meetings linked to terrorist activities in pursuit of a political ideology capable of destabilising Nigeria’s constitutional order.

The charge also alleged that the defendants knowingly rendered support to facilitate acts of terrorism.

In addition, prosecutors claimed the accused persons suppressed intelligence that could have helped security agencies prevent the alleged acts.

The case also includes allegations of terrorism financing and unlawful financial transactions.

Bukar Kashim Goni was accused of retaining N50 million said to be proceeds of terrorism financing, while Abdulkadir Sani allegedly retained N2 million from a similar source.

Zekeri Umoru was further accused of accepting a cash payment of N10 million outside the banking system and retaining another N8.8 million suspected to be linked to terrorism financing.

Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim was also accused of taking possession of N1 million allegedly connected to the same scheme.

All financial-related charges were filed under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.