Fresh revelations emerged on Tuesday in the ongoing alleged coup trial against the administration of Bola Tinubu, as a Presidential Villa maintenance worker told a Federal High Court that he was misled into involvement by acquaintances he trusted.
Zekari Umoru, an employee of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc assigned to maintenance duties at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, said in a recorded statement played in court that he had no knowledge of any plot to overthrow the government.
The video evidence was presented before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik as part of proceedings in the high-profile case involving six defendants charged with treason and related offences.
Umoru, the fourth defendant, told investigators that his troubles began in May 2025 when he was introduced to a man he later identified as “Col. Mohammed Ma’aji” by Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, a police officer attached to the Presidential Clinic. According to him, the introduction was framed as a legitimate business opportunity involving electrical work at a construction site.
“I believed he was a businessman,” Umoru said in the recording, explaining that he received multiple bank transfers bearing Ma’aji’s name and saw no immediate cause for suspicion.
However, prosecutors allege that the relationship went far beyond routine business dealings. Umoru admitted receiving several cash payments, including one instance in September 2025 when he was handed a bag containing ₦8.8 million, which he deposited in a Zenith Bank account. He also acknowledged receiving an additional ₦2 million the following day.
Court documents and testimony suggest that some of these meetings took place in informal settings, including a location identified as “Tiger Bar,” where cash gifts were reportedly distributed after casual conversations.
Umoru said he began to grow uneasy about the steady flow of money and sought clarification from Ibrahim. It was then, he claimed, that he was told Ma’aji was unhappy with the state of the country and was planning to “sanitise the government” with the help of unnamed collaborators.
He further alleged that discussions included a plan involving an ambulance driver to gain access to the heavily guarded Presidential Villa – an assertion prosecutors argue points to a larger conspiracy.
Despite these claims, Umoru insisted he never knowingly participated in any coup plot.
“I was deceived,” he said, adding that he would have distanced himself had he known the true identities or intentions of those involved.
In one incident recounted during the video session, Umoru admitted escorting a man identified as Usman – later believed to be a military officer – into the Presidential Villa. He said security personnel allowed entry without questioning after he vouched for the visitor. He also told investigators he reprimanded Usman after discovering him taking photographs inside his office.
Umoru concluded his statement with an apology to his employer and a declaration of loyalty to the Tinubu administration.
The court also viewed a separate video involving Islamic cleric Sheikh Imam Kassim Goni, another defendant in the case, who denied any involvement in the alleged coup.
Goni told investigators that funds he received from Ma’aji were strictly for religious purposes, including prayers and charitable activities. He said the requests often related to personal matters, such as spiritual support following setbacks in career advancement.
However, investigators challenged his account, citing financial records that showed transactions dating back to March 2023 – well before the timeline he described. Additional records presented in court indicated transfers running into millions of naira, including a ₦10 million payment in October 2024.
Prosecutors argued that references in conversations to “access” and acquiring “work tools” raised red flags about a coordinated plan, though details of the alleged plot remain contested.
The case, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and led by Director of Public Prosecutions Rotimi Oyedepo, involves a 13-count charge bordering on treason, terrorism, and money laundering.
Among those listed as defendants are retired senior military officers and security personnel, while former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva is named as being at large.
Defence counsel to Goni, Michael Numa (SAN), told the court he had only just received the video evidence and requested time to review it.
Justice Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned proceedings to May 11, 12, and 13 for continuation of the trial.
The case has drawn significant public attention, given its implications for national security and the involvement of individuals linked to the Presidential Villa, underscoring ongoing concerns about insider threats within critical government institutions.
