One of the defendants in the alleged coup plot case, Abdulkadir Sani, arrived early at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday ahead of his arraignment, while five others were still being awaited as proceedings were set to commence.
Sani was said to have arrived at the court premises ahead of the scheduled sitting, reportedly because he is the only defendant not currently in custody.
Other defendants are being held by authorities and were yet to be brought to court as of the time proceedings were expected to begin.
Recall that the Federal Government had on Monday filed a 13-count charge against the defendants, bordering on terrorism, conspiracy, and failure to disclose intelligence relating to an alleged plot to overthrow the government.
Those listed in the charge include retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Naval Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, Abdulkadir Sani, and former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, who is said to be at large.
According to the charge, the defendants allegedly conspired in 2025 in Abuja to commit acts of terrorism and to “levy war” against the Nigerian state.
The prosecution also accused them of failing to disclose intelligence about the alleged plot and not taking steps to prevent its execution despite prior knowledge.
The defendants are expected to be arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, where the charges will be read and their pleas taken.
As of the time of filing this report, proceedings had yet to commence, with heightened security presence around the court complex as officials awaited the arrival of the remaining defendants.
