The Federal Government has filed a 13-count charge bordering on treason, terrorism, and money laundering against former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, and six others before a Federal High Court in Abuja over an alleged plot to destabilise Nigeria.
Also listed as defendants in the suit are Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (retd), Captain Erasmus Victor (retd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.
The accused persons are scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, although Sylva is reportedly at large.
The charge, instituted by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), alleges that the defendants conspired in 2025 to wage war against the Nigerian state.
According to the prosecution, the defendants “conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overawe the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.
The Federal Government further accused the defendants of having prior knowledge of a planned treasonable act allegedly involving Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others, but failing to report it to the appropriate authorities.
The charge stated that the accused, despite being aware of the alleged plot, “did not give the information thereof with all reasonable dispatch” to either the President or security agencies, and also failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the act.
Beyond treason, the defendants are facing terrorism-related charges under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Prosecutors alleged that they conspired to commit acts aimed at undermining Nigeria’s constitutional order.
Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru were specifically accused of participating in meetings linked to terrorist activities, allegedly in pursuit of a political agenda capable of destabilising the country.
The government also alleged that the defendants provided various forms of support for terrorism and deliberately withheld intelligence that could have prevented such acts.
In addition, the charge includes allegations of terrorism financing and money laundering under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
According to the prosecution, Bukar Kashim Goni allegedly retained N50 million suspected to be proceeds of terrorism financing, while Abdulkadir Sani is accused of handling N2 million linked to similar activities.
Zekeri Umoru was alleged to have accepted N10 million in cash outside the formal banking system and retained an additional N8.8 million believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities. Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim was also accused of possessing N1 million connected to the alleged scheme.
The Federal Government maintained that the actions of the defendants posed a serious threat to national security and constitutional order.
The case is expected to test Nigeria’s legal and security frameworks in addressing allegations of treason and terrorism financing involving high-profile individuals.
