Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed December 7, 2026, to rule on the admissibility of exhibits sought to be tendered by the federal government in the trial of six suspected coup plotters. The judge made this decision after counsel for the prosecution and defense lawyers adopted their processes and presented their arguments for and against the application. This development is part of the ongoing trial of the defendants, who face a 13-count charge.
The federal government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, had arraigned the six defendants on April 22, 2026. The defendants, including Major General Mohammed Gana, Navy Capt. Erasmus Victor, Insp Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani, are accused of offences ranging from treason and terrorism to failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing. The former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, is listed as being at large.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026, was filed by the Director, Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo. The prosecution has called four witnesses so far, with the 4th prosecution witness, an army officer identified by the codename "AAA" for security reasons, yet to be discharged from the witness box. The witness tendered video recordings of the defendants' interrogations before the trial-within-trial began.
The defense lawyers had objected to the admissibility of the statements and video recordings, arguing that they were not made voluntarily. This led to Justice Abdulmalik ordering a trial-within-trial on May 11, 2026. The Federal Government closed its case in the trial-within-trial on June 23, 2026, after which the defendants began opening their defense.
The trial is ongoing, with the court yet to rule on the admissibility of the exhibits. The defense lawyers and prosecution have presented their arguments, and the court will now consider these before making a decision. The December 7 date is a crucial one, as it will determine which evidence can be used in the trial.
The alleged coup plotters face serious charges, including treason and terrorism. If convicted, they could face significant prison sentences. The trial is being closely watched, given the serious nature of the allegations and the number of high-profile individuals involved.
The court's decision on December 7 will be a significant step in the trial, determining the course of the proceedings and which evidence will be considered. The case will continue to be closely monitored as it unfolds.
Key points
- The Federal High Court in Abuja will rule on the admissibility of federal government exhibits in the trial of suspected coup plotters on December 7, 2026.
- The defendants face a 13-count charge, including treason, terrorism, and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.
- The trial-within-trial was ordered after defense lawyers objected to the admissibility of statements and video recordings, arguing they were not made voluntarily.
