20.5.2026
One of the coup plot suspects on trial for plotting to remove President Bola Tinubu, Zekeri Umoru, told the Federal Court sitting in Abuja, they planned to plunge the Aso Rock presidential villa into darkness in order to capture Tinubu and other politicians targeted alive.
Mr Umoru, a Julius Berger Nigeria Plc employee in the Maintenance Department at the Presidential Villa, spoke in video evidence played before presiding judge Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
He said he warned that such an action would immediately trigger investigations and the detention of workers on duty.
The fourth defendant stated this in the video while being questioned by some members of the Special Investigative Panel (SIP), which first investigated the case.
He alleged that Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji, the alleged coup mastermind, offered him money, through Police Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, the third defendant, to recruit between 18 and 19 persons working inside the Villa.
Mr Umoru said those to be recruited include soldiers, officials of the State Security Service (SSS) and Julius Berger staff.
He also told the investigators that Mr Ma’aji allegedly said he wanted access to the Presidential Villa and could achieve it “with force,” even if those recruited from within the Villa declined to cooperate.
He claimed that Inspector Ibrahim later demanded N100 million from Mr Ma’aji to facilitate the operation through an ambulance route into the Villa, but that Mr Ma’aji refused because the amount was excessive.
He said Mr Ma’aji insisted that he could still gain access to the Presidential Villa by force, though “there would be bloodshed.” At some point, Mr Umoru said, he became uncomfortable with the alleged plan and repeatedly tried to return the money he had been given.
He said he felt that accessing the Presidential Villa “was no child’s play.”
He denied ever having access to the Villa’s solar power plant, despite allegations that he planned to sabotage the electricity supply within the complex.
On why he failed to report the alleged discussions to the authorities immediately, Mr Umoru claimed he was discouraged by Inspector Ibrahim, who allegedly asked him to delete the messages and avoid contacting Colonel Ma’aji because of an ongoing audit at their office.
Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter until May 21 for the continuation of the trial-within-trial, which is being conducted to ascertain the voluntariness or otherwise of the statements made by the six defendants.
The Federal Government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), had arraigned the defendants on a 13-count charge before Justice Abdulmalik
The charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026, was filed on April 20 by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).
Those named in the charge are retired Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (rtd), Cap. (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (rtd), Insp Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani as first to sixth defendants respectfully.
The former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, who is alleged to be part of the act, is listed as being at large.
The defendants were accused of offences ranging from treason and terrorism to failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing. NAN