A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday viewed a video-recorded statement from Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir, the sixth defendant in the ongoing trial of individuals accused of plotting to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
In the recording, Abdulkadir, an Islamic cleric, admitted receiving money to offer prayers related to the alleged operation but said he warned those involved that the plan would fail and eventually be exposed from within.
The video was played during the continuation of proceedings as the fourth prosecution witness (PW4) remained in the witness box.
According to the statement, Abdulkadir said he had known the alleged ringleader, identified as Colonel Maaji, for less than a year. He said he was contacted through an intermediary, Sanda, who allegedly requested spiritual support for what was described as a planned coup.
The cleric told investigators that after conducting prayers, he informed those involved that the operation was unlikely to succeed and that two individuals would eventually expose the plot.
He further stated that another request was later conveyed to him, seeking additional prayers to prevent the two individuals from revealing information about the alleged plan. Abdulkadir said money was subsequently transferred to him for prayers and charitable activities, while names of alleged participants were also sent for inclusion in the prayers.
Abdulkadir said he first became aware of the arrests through media reports after Sanda informed him that Colonel Maaji had been unreachable for several days. He maintained that the money he received was solely for prayers and not to support any attempt to overthrow the government.
He acknowledged understanding that a coup refers to a military takeover of government but said he did not report the alleged plot because he did not know the appropriate authority to contact.
The cleric also recounted circumstances surrounding his arrest, stating that he was invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after seeking clarification over restrictions placed on his bank account.
According to him, an EFCC deputy director requested that he explain the source of the funds in his account. Abdulkadir denied making any coup-related confession while in EFCC custody and said he was neither assaulted nor tortured, insisting that his statements were made voluntarily.
Following the playback of the video, the prosecution sought to tender extra-judicial statements obtained from all six defendants by a Special Investigation Panel and military police authorities.
Defence counsel for the defendants objected, arguing that the statements were either obtained involuntarily or in breach of provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
The defence raised concerns including the alleged failure to inform the defendants of their right to legal representation, discrepancies between video recordings and written statements, claims of coercion and inducement, and questions over whether the recordings adequately reflected the defendants’ physical condition at the time the statements were made.
Counsel to the fifth defendant also argued that the court should conduct separate trial-within-trial proceedings for each disputed statement because of the number of accused persons involved.
In response, the prosecution urged the court to dismiss the objections, arguing that the law does not require separate proceedings for each defendant and that the court has discretion in determining how evidence is received.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ruled that the court would conduct a single joint trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness and admissibility of the disputed statements.
The matter was adjourned until May 12.
