A witness testimony presented in court has shed new light on the ongoing trial of individuals accused of plotting to violently overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration, with one of the defendants, Zekeri Umoru, claiming he was unknowingly drawn into the alleged conspiracy through contacts inside the Presidential Villa.
Umoru, the fourth defendant and a maintenance worker at the Presidential Villa employed through Julius Berger Nigeria, told investigators in a recorded extra-judicial statement that his involvement began in May 2025 after he was introduced to key individuals through Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, attached to the Presidential Clinic.
According to his account, Ibrahim introduced him to a man identified as Hassan Mohammed, later alleged to be Colonel Mohammed “Ma’aji,” under the guise of offering legitimate electrical work. Umoru said he initially believed Ma’aji was a civilian businessman, particularly after receiving multiple money transfers linked to him.
He described several meetings where he allegedly received cash payments, sometimes in the presence of Ibrahim, including gatherings at a location referred to as “Tiger Bar,” where he and others were given between ₦100,000 and ₦120,000 after informal discussions. He further alleged that on September 24, 2025, Ma’aji handed him a “Ghana Must Go” bag containing cash, which he deposited into a Zenith Bank account and later confirmed to amount to ₦8.8 million.
Umoru added that a further ₦2 million was delivered the next day, with assurances that Inspector Ibrahim would provide additional instructions. He told investigators he later grew suspicious of the continuous cash flow and confronted Ibrahim, who allegedly claimed the funds were tied to a plan to “sanitize the government” with support from unnamed collaborators.
He further alleged that Ibrahim discussed operational details, including the possible use of an ambulance driver to facilitate access into the Presidential Villa, though he insisted he never understood the full scope of the alleged plan and denied knowingly participating in any coup-related activity.
Umoru maintained that he was misled throughout the process and would have withdrawn immediately had he known the true identities or intentions of those involved. He also recounted an incident in which another associate, Usman, was escorted into the Villa and later seen taking photographs in his office, which he said he immediately objected to.
In his statement, Umoru expressed regret over the events and apologised to his employers, while affirming his loyalty to the Tinubu administration.
In a separate video presented to the court, Islamic cleric Sheikh Imam Kassim Goni also denied involvement in any coup-related activity, stating that funds he received from Colonel Ma’aji were strictly for religious prayers and charitable purposes. He said he had relocated to Abuja after fleeing insurgency in Maiduguri and insisted his interactions were spiritual rather than political.
However, investigators challenged his account, citing financial records showing transactions dating back to March 2023, including transfers running into millions of naira, among them a ₦10 million payment in October 2024, raising questions about inconsistencies in his explanation.
Prosecutors argued that the pattern of financial transfers, coupled with references to logistics and access arrangements, suggested possible coordination beyond the defendants’ claims, though all accused persons have denied any knowledge of a coup plot.
Following the presentation of the video evidence, defence counsel for one of the defendants, Senior Advocate Michael Numa, requested additional time to review the materials, stating they had only just been made available.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the case to May 11, 12, and 13 for continuation of trial proceedings.
