BREAKING: FG files 13-count charge against coup plotters

The Federal Government's move to file a comprehensive 13-count charge against six individuals, including high-ranking former military officers and a serving police inspector, signals a serious commitment to combating threats against national security. The charges, which encompass treason, terrorism, and money laundering, underscore the gravity of the alleged plot to destabilize Nigeria.

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The Federal Government has filed a 13-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja against six individuals, including two retired senior military officers and a serving police inspector, over an alleged plot to wage war against Nigeria and commit acts of terrorism.

This legal action, brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja, details a conspiracy that allegedly aimed to 'levy war against the state to overpower the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.' The prosecution's assertion that the defendants possessed prior knowledge of treasonable acts but failed to report them highlights a critical aspect of national security: the importance of intelligence sharing and proactive prevention.

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The prosecution alleged that the defendants conspired in 2025 “to levy war against the state to overpower the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.

The inclusion of terrorism-related charges under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, further emphasizes the government's stance against violent extremism and political subversion. The alleged involvement of defendants in meetings aimed at furthering a political ideology that could 'seriously destabilise the constitutional structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria' points to a deep-seated threat. The ongoing efforts to apprehend individuals still at large, including a former minister, indicate that the investigation is comprehensive and ongoing, reflecting Nigeria's determination to uphold law and order and protect its democratic institutions.

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The Federal Government further alleged that the defendants had prior knowledge of a planned treasonable act involving one Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others but failed to alert authorities.