Coup: Court rejects suspects’ torture claims, admits statements

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday admitted statements and video recordings made by six alleged coup plotters during military interrogation as evidence against them, dismissing their claims that the materials were obtained through torture, inducement and coercion.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in a ruling on a trial-within-trial, held that the Federal Government had established that the defendants voluntarily made the statements and participated in the recorded interrogations.

The judge described their allegations of duress as an afterthought, adding that there was no evidence to substantiate claims that the military subjected them to torture or used force to obtain the statements.

The defendants are retired Maj Gen Mohammed Gana, retired Navy Capt Erasmus Victor, Insp Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni and Abdulkadir Sani.

The Federal Government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, arraigned them on April 22 on a 13-count charge bordering on treason, terrorism, failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.

The charge is marked FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026.

Justice Abdulmalik had ordered the trial-within-trial on May 11 after defence lawyers challenged the admissibility of the statements and video recordings tendered by the prosecution, insisting that they were not voluntarily obtained.

The objection followed the testimony of four prosecution witnesses, including an Army officer identified by the codename AAA, who tendered video recordings of the defendants’ interrogations.

Following the dismissal of the objections and admission of the materials as exhibits, the judge adjourned the case until December 7 and 10 for continuation of the trial.

The alleged coup plot came to light in September 2025, when the military announced the arrest of several serving and retired officers over suspected plans to overthrow the President Bola Tinubu administration.

The arrests followed an investigation into an alleged conspiracy involving military personnel and civilians, with the military subsequently handing over the suspects to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.