The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday played a video recording in which a Zaria-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abdulkadir Sani, standing trial over an alleged coup plot, told investigators he had warned suspected conspirators that their mission would fail and that members of the group would eventually betray one another.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik also ordered a joint trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of statements and video recordings the prosecution sought to tender against the six defendants.
The ruling followed objections by defence counsel, who argued that the statements were obtained in violation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and the Anti-Torture Act.
The Federal Government of Nigeria had on April 22 arraigned six defendants, including retired senior military officers, over allegations of treason, terrorism, money laundering, and conspiracy to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The defendants include retired Major-General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Navy Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, police inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Presidential Villa electrician Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Sheikh Sani. All six pleaded not guilty to the 13-count charge.
At Monday’s proceedings, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), applied for the playback of a video recording containing Sani’s alleged statement to investigators.
In the video played in open court, the cleric said he became acquainted with an alleged ringleader identified as Col. Maaji through another man, Sanda, who allegedly approached him for prayers concerning a planned coup.
Sani said after conducting prayers and spiritual consultations, he informed them that the operation would fail.
“I warned them the coup would fail,” he said in the recording.
He further claimed he told them two persons within the group would eventually betray the plot, adding that Sanda later returned to seek additional prayers to prevent the alleged betrayal.
According to the cleric, money was later transferred to him for prayers and charity, while the names of persons allegedly involved in the operation were forwarded for inclusion in the prayers.
Sani maintained in the recording that the funds sent to him were strictly for prayers and not to support any attempt to overthrow the government.
He also admitted understanding that a coup meant a military takeover of government but said he did not report the alleged plot because he did not know who to report it to.
The cleric narrated that he was later arrested after visiting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over restrictions placed on his bank account, where he discovered the account had been flagged.
Before the video ended, Sani told investigators he was neither assaulted nor tortured and that his statements were made voluntarily.
Following the playback, the prosecution sought to tender extra-judicial statements allegedly made by the defendants before investigators and military authorities.
However, defence lawyers representing the accused persons opposed the move, insisting the statements and accompanying recordings were not voluntarily obtained and failed to comply with legal safeguards.
After hearing arguments from both parties, Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the court would conduct a joint trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of the statements.
The matter was subsequently adjourned for continuation of proceedings.
Meanwhile, relatives and sympathisers of some military officers standing trial over the alleged coup plot staged a peaceful protest at the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja, demanding an open trial and the release of the detained suspects.
The demonstrators carried placards and chanted solidarity songs while calling on the government to ensure transparency in the ongoing proceedings.
Security operatives, including officers of the Nigeria Police Force, prevented the protesters from entering the ministry premises, restricting them to the entrance gate.
The protest comes amid growing public scrutiny over the handling of the coup-related trials, particularly after journalists were reportedly denied access to earlier court proceedings involving some of the accused officers.
