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, for alleged plot to wage war against Nigeria and commit acts of terrorism.

The defendants, retired Major General Mohammed Gana, retired Naval Captain Erasmus Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani, were scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday, April 22, before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.

Also listed in the charge, but said to be at large, is a former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.

The charge, filed on Monday by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, accuses the defendants of offences ranging from treason and terrorism to failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.

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 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.

According to the charge, the defendants, “knowing that a treasonable act was intended to be committed, did not give information thereof with all reasonable dispatch to either the President… or a peace officer.

They were also accused of failing to take preventive steps, as the charge stated that they did not use any reasonable endeavours to prevent the commission of the offence.

Beyond treason, the defendants are facing terrorism-related charges under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Prosecutors alleged that they conspired with one another to commit an act of terrorism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru were specifically accused of attending meetings linked to the alleged plot, “in a bid to further a political ideology which may seriously destabilise the constitutional structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The charge also accused the defendants of providing support for terrorism, alleging that they “knowingly and indirectly rendered support” to facilitate acts of terror.

The case is expected to test the Federal Government’s resolve to prosecute alleged threats to national security as proceedings commence before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

In October 2025, the Federal Government announced the cancellation of a ceremonial parade earlier scheduled to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary on October.