Former Nigerian general among six charged with treason

The suspects, including military personnel, face a 13-count indictment with penalties ranging from life imprisonment to the death penalty

Six people, including a retired major general and a serving police officer, have been charged with treason and terrorism for their alleged involvement in a plot to overthrow Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.

The suspects are among 16 security personnel arrested last October following media reports of a foiled coup in the West African country. The military confirmed the incident in January, stating that “a number” of officers were involved in a conspiracy to destabilize the government in violation of the ethical standards of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

On Monday, the government filed 13 charges against six of the suspects accused of masterminding the conspiracy. They are retired Major-General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.

According to court documents cited by state broadcaster NTA on Tuesday, the defendants “conspired with one another to levy war against the state in an attempt to overthrow the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” 

The six were remanded in custody, while former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva, charged with helping to cover up the plot, is reportedly at large.

READ MORE: Nigerian military officers face trial over foiled coup plot

Under Nigerian law, charges of terrorism and treason carry penalties ranging from life imprisonment to the death penalty.

President Tinubu, who assumed office in May 2023, has faced criticism for a cost-of-living crisis triggered in part by economic reforms, including the removal of a fuel subsidy as part of efforts to reduce the budget deficit in Africa’s most populous country. His administration is also grappling with a security crisis marked by escalating violence from insurgent groups, kidnappers, and militant factions.

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Despite domestic challenges, the country has taken a tough stance on the growing wave of military takeovers in West Africa. As the region’s largest economy and most populous nation, Nigeria has actively supported efforts by the West African regional bloc ECOWAS to oppose the military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, advocating the restoration of democratic governance.

Nigeria transitioned from military rule in 1999, and has experienced its longest period of uninterrupted democratic government since gaining independence from Britain in 1960.