The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday heard fresh allegations of a plot to infiltrate the Presidential Villa and disrupt electricity supply as part of an attempt to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The revelations emerged during the ongoing trial of six defendants accused of conspiring to stage a coup, as the prosecution tendered a video recording of the interrogation of one of the suspects, Zekeri Umoru.
In the footage, played in open court, Umoru told investigators that he was approached to participate in a plan allegedly spearheaded by a serving military officer, identified as Colonel Mohammed A. Ma’aji, said to be the central figure in the plot.
Umoru, who claimed to have worked with construction giant Julius Berger on the Presidential Villa clinic project, said he was contacted through another defendant, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, and asked to recruit insiders within the seat of power.
According to him, the plan involved enlisting between 18 and 19 individuals, including military personnel, operatives of the Department of State Services, and workers affiliated with Julius Berger operating within the Villa.
He further told investigators that part of the discussions included cutting off electricity supply to the Presidential Villa to aid the execution of the alleged operation.
Umoru, however, said he warned against the idea, noting that any disruption of power at the highly secured facility would immediately trigger security alerts and likely lead to the arrest and interrogation of all personnel on duty.
The defendant also alleged that the suspected mastermind insisted on gaining access to the Villa and was prepared to deploy force if internal cooperation failed.
The court admitted the video as evidence as the prosecution continued to build its case against the defendants.
Justice handling the matter subsequently adjourned proceedings to a later date for continuation of trial.
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