Nigerian prosecutors charged six men on Tuesday with an attempted coup against President Bola Tinubu. This attempt was foiled in 2025 and initially denied by the authorities.
Published on: 04/21/2026 - 1:38 p.m.
Six men, including a retired major general, were indicted on Tuesday April 21 by the courts in Nigeria for a foiled coup attempt against the president in 2025. They are accused of having conspired "among (them) to declare war on the State in order to intimidate the President of the Federal Republic", according to the prosecution, cited in documents filed with the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In October 2025, the army announced that 16 officers had been arrested for “indiscipline problems”. At the time, despite official denials, sources within the Nigerian government and army told AFP that the officers had been arrested for plotting a coup.
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In January, the army finally recognized this attempt and announced that it would try several officers accused of having planned the overthrow of President Bola Tinubu. The six accused are expected to be arraigned before the Abuja High Court on Wednesday. It was not immediately possible to know whether this procedure will replace or supplement the military trial.
This coup attempt led President Tinubu to carry out a reshuffle within the army's senior staff.
The fate of Colonel Ma'aji has not been made public by the courts or the authorities
The suspects are retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Abdulkadir Sani.
These men are also accused of having knowledge of the fact that Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma'aji, identified as the mastermind of this attempted coup, "and others intended to commit an act of treason", without having notified the authorities.
They are further accused of having conspired "among themselves to commit an act of terrorism", and of having "indirectly" but "knowingly" provided "support" to Colonel Ma'aji "and others to commit an act of terrorism". The fate of Colonel Ma'aji has not been made public by the courts or the authorities.
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Nigeria has experienced several military coups throughout its history and spent much of the 20th century under a military junta following its independence from the British colonizer.
It came under civilian rule in 1999 and has since been considered a democracy, despite the many ills plaguing the country – including insecurity, corruption and poverty.
The electoral deadline of January 2027 is already mobilizing the political spheres
This trial comes at a time when the electoral deadline of January 2027 is already mobilizing the political spheres. The head of state will seek a second term. He will have to defend his record after four years in power and while the most populous country in Africa faces a deterioration in its security situation.
Nigeria is beset by numerous security challenges: a jihadist insurgency for more than 17 years in the northeast, a conflict between farmers and herders in the center, separatist violence in the southeast and armed gangs called "bandits" who loot, kill and kidnap in the northwest.
In addition, the deterioration of security in the Sahel has allowed jihadist groups to expand their actions in the northwest.
For his re-election, Bola Tinubu defends his economic record. When he came to power, he initiated reforms that economists say were long overdue, including the liberalization of the national currency and the removal of a costly fuel subsidy.
But at the same time, prices have increased sharply, with inflation above 30% during the year 2024, falling to almost 15% in February 2026. Poverty has increased, affecting 63% of the population in 2025 compared to 56% two years earlier.
With AFP
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