General Olufemi Oluyede, chief of army staff
The Nigerian military has granted lawyers and family members access to individuals accused of involvement in an alleged coup plot, following months of restricted contact.
Sources familiar with the development revealed that access was approved at the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) detention facility in Abuja, where the suspects are being held, beginning from Tuesday.
The development comes after concerns were raised over limited access to the detainees since their arrest.
There had been concerns over plans to try the suspects in batches before a military-style tribunal rather than in open civilian courts, a move critics say raises questions about transparency and due process.
It was earlier reported that the Nigerian government had filed a 13-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja against a retired Major General, a retired Naval Captain, a serving police inspector, and three others over their alleged involvement in a coup plot and plans to wage war against Nigeria and commit acts of terrorism.
The defendants, Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (rtd), Captain (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (rtd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani, were scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday, April 22, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Also named in the charge sheet, but said to be at large, is the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.
The case, filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, accuses the defendants of offences including treason, terrorism, failure to disclose security intelligence, and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.
At the centre of the allegations is a claim that the defendants conspired in 2025 to undermine the Nigerian state.
According to the charge, they “conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overawe the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.
