Court admits videos, statements of coup plotters

The Federal High Court in Abuja has admitted statements and video recordings of six alleged coup plotters as evidence, dismissing their claims that the materials were obtained through torture, coercion and inducement.

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

The judge described the allegations of duress as an afterthought, saying the defendants failed to provide evidence that military personnel tortured or forced them to make the statements.

The defendants are retired Major General Mohammed Gana, retired Navy Captain Erasmus Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni and Abdulkadir Sani.

The Federal Government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, arraigned the six defendants 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 statements and video recordings tendered by the prosecution, arguing that the materials 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.

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With 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.