On Tuesday, the Federal Government filed a 13-count charge against the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, over an alleged plot to destabilise Nigeria through acts described as treason and terrorism.
In the suit filed before a Federal High Court in Abuja, the Nigerian Government also named six others alongside Sylva.
The names include retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Naval Captain Erasmus Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.
They are expected to appear in court on Wednesday, April 22, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik. Authorities say Sylva is currently not in custody.
New Telegraph gathered that the charges were filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and endorsed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.
The accusations cover a range of offences, including treason, terrorism, withholding critical security information, and financial crimes connected to terrorism funding.
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At the centre of the case is an allegation that the accused individuals collaborated in 2025 with the intention of undermining the Nigerian state.
According to court filings, 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 Nigerian law.
Prosecutors also claim the defendants had advance knowledge of a separate plan involving one Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others, but failed to notify the appropriate authorities.
The charge states that they, “knowing that and were intended to commit treason, did not give the information thereof with all reasonable despatch to either the President or a Peace Officer.”
In addition, the government alleges that the defendants made no meaningful effort to stop the plot, stating they “did not use any reasonable endeavours to prevent the commission of the offence.”
Beyond the treason-related allegations, the defendants are also facing charges under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Authorities claim they “conspired with one another to commit an act of terrorism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Some of the accused, including Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru, are said to have taken part in meetings connected to these activities.
Prosecutors argue their actions were “in a bid to further a political ideology which may seriously destabilise the constitutional structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The government further alleges that the group provided varying levels of assistance to support terrorist operations, claiming they “knowingly and indirectly, rendered support” to facilitate such acts.
They are also accused of withholding intelligence that could have helped prevent these activities, having “had information which would be of material assistance in preventing the commission of the act of terrorism, but failed to disclose the information to the relevant agency as soon as practicable.”
Financial transactions linked to the case form another part of the charges. Bukar Goni is alleged to have retained ₦50 million connected to unlawful activity, while Abdulkadir Sani allegedly held ₦2 million from similar sources. Zekeri Umoru is accused of receiving ₦10 million in cash outside formal financial channels and keeping an additional ₦8.8 million suspected to be linked to terrorism financing. Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim is also accused of handling ₦1 million tied to the alleged scheme.
These financial allegations are being prosecuted under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The case is expected to proceed with the formal arraignment of the defendants, as the court begins to examine the evidence behind the serious allegations.
