FG files 13-count Treason Charge against Timipre Sylva, Coup Plotters

The president Bola Tinubu-led administration has filed a 13-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja against alleged plotters of a coup to oust the federal government.

The suspects are a retired major general, a retired naval captain, a serving police inspector and three others.

The defendants face accusations of waging war against Nigeria and carrying out acts related to treason and terrorism.

The people named in the charge are Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (retd), Captain (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (retd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.

The defendants are set to appear in court for arraignment on Wednesday, April 22, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, is also named in the charge but is reportedly at large.

The main allegation is that the defendants conspired in 2025 to undermine the Nigerian state.

In October 2025, the federal government canceled a parade that was planned for the country’s 65th independence anniversary on October 1.

SaharaReporters first reported that the cancellation of the independence anniversary event was connected to an alleged coup attempt.

In response, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) denied the report and said the cancellation was not related to any alleged coup attempt.

However on October 31, 2025, TheCable reported that 16 military officers had been arrested earlier that month over the alleged coup attempt, and two others were still on the run.

In January 2026, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) confirmed a plot to overthrow Tinubu