The Federal Government has filed formal charges against six suspects over an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with a seventh high-profile suspect—including a former governor—declared at large.
According to court documents obtained by the Associated Press, the defendants will be arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday on a 13-count charge bordering on treason, terrorism, and conspiracy to wage war against the Nigerian state.
Authorities said the accused persons include:
▪︎ A retired major-general (name not officially disclosed in the charge sheet seen publicly)
▪︎ A serving police inspector
▪︎ Several other collaborators currently in custody
▪︎ Timipre Sylva, a former Bayelsa State governor, accused of helping conceal the plot and currently at large
While the full identities of the six defendants in the civilian court case have not been completely made public, security investigations linked the conspiracy to a network of about 40 suspects, including military personnel and civilians involved in funding, reconnaissance, and logistics.
Earlier military investigations had already indicted at least 16 officers connected to the alleged coup attempt. Some of the identified names include:
Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq
Colonel M. A. Ma’aji
Lt. Colonel S. Bappah
Lt. Colonel A. A. Hayatu
Major A. J. Ibrahim
Major M. M. Jiddah
Captain I. Bello
Lt. Commander D. B. Abdullahi (Navy)
Squadron Leader S. B. Adamu (Air Force)
Military authorities say these officers were initially arrested in 2025 for “acts of indiscipline,” but subsequent investigations confirmed links to a coordinated attempt to overthrow the government.
Prosecutors allege that the suspects:
▪︎ Conspired to “levy war against the state” and destabilize the government
▪︎ Planned to overawe or remove the President by force
▪︎ Were involved in terrorism-related activities and financing
▪︎ Failed to disclose intelligence about the planned insurrection
The charge sheet describes the plot as a treasonable conspiracy aimed at violently seizing power.
The case stems from an alleged coup plan uncovered in late 2025. Intelligence reports indicated that:
▪︎ The plot involved serving and retired military officers
▪︎ It allegedly included plans to assassinate top officials and take control of government
▪︎ The operation was linked to dissatisfaction within sections of the military
At the time, authorities initially downplayed the arrests, but later confirmed that a genuine coup attempt had been uncovered after internal investigations.
The development comes amid a resurgence of coups and attempted takeovers across West Africa, raising concerns about democratic stability in the region. Nigeria, which experienced multiple coups before returning to civilian rule in 1999, has since maintained democratic governance.
The arraignment on Wednesday is expected to formally open prosecution in what could become one of the country’s most significant treason trials in decades.
it is expected the trials will test the strength of Nigeria’s judicial system and; the government’s ability to handle high-level national security threats
