A Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, on Monday, May 12, conducted a significant proceeding in the ongoing trial of individuals accused of plotting to overthrow the government of President Bola Tinubu. During the hearing, a video-recorded statement of Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir, the sixth defendant, was played in court. In the recording, the Islamic cleric admitted to receiving money for prayers connected to the alleged operation but maintained that he had explicitly warned the plotters that their plan would ultimately fail and that two individuals within their circle would expose the plot.

Abdulkadir's statement, presented while the fourth prosecution witness remained in the box, detailed his acquaintance with the alleged ringleader, identified as Colonel Maaji, whom he had known for less than a year. He told investigators that he was introduced to Maaji through an intermediary named Sanda, who purportedly sought spiritual assistance for the success of a planned coup. According to Abdulkadir, Sanda informed him that his “Oga” intended to stage a coup and required prayers. Following the prayers, Abdulkadir claimed he cautioned that the operation would not succeed. He further stated that a subsequent request was made for him to pray against those two individuals he predicted would speak out. Shortly thereafter, he received funds for prayers and charity, and names of alleged participants were forwarded to him.

The cleric informed investigators that he learned of the arrests through media reports after being told that Colonel Maaji had been missing for several days. He consistently asserted that all funds he received were solely for prayer purposes and not for supporting any coup attempt. While acknowledging that a coup signifies a military overthrow of government, Abdulkadir claimed he did not report the alleged plan due to not knowing the appropriate authority to contact. His arrest, he explained, occurred after a visit to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to inquire about his bank account, which had been restricted over suspicious transactions. He insisted that he made no confession linking him to any coup attempt during interrogation and was neither tortured nor coerced.

Following the video playback, the prosecution sought to tender extra-judicial statements obtained from all six defendants by a Special Investigation Panel and military police authorities. However, defense lawyers vehemently opposed this application, arguing that the statements were procured in violation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA). Their objections cited a lack of legal representation during questioning, inconsistencies between video and written statements, allegations of inducement, and potential coercion. Counsel for the fifth defendant specifically urged the court to conduct separate trial-within-trial proceedings for each accused person, emphasizing the number of defendants and the unique circumstances surrounding each statement. The prosecution countered by arguing that there was no legal requirement for separate proceedings and that the trial judge possessed the discretion to evaluate evidence as deemed fit. Justice Abdulmalik, in her ruling, ordered a single joint trial-within-trial to ascertain the voluntariness and admissibility of all disputed statements, adjourning the matter to May 12 for further hearing.

Concurrently, relatives of the individuals accused of plotting the coup staged a peaceful protest in Abuja, appealing to President Bola Tinubu’s administration for the release of their detained family members. The demonstrators, primarily women with their children and youths, gathered in the nation’s capital, carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs. They highlighted the severe hardship, hunger, and emotional trauma inflicted upon their families due to the prolonged incarceration of their loved ones. Some women lamented that their children were suffering from hunger and depression because of the absence of their fathers and breadwinners, pleading for the government’s mercy.

Protesters, many of whom traveled from their villages, expressed their dire circumstances, stating, “We all came from our villages to beg the government to please consider our plea and free them. Our children were left in our care alone, with no food to eat. We have been rendered stranded.” They emphasized the peaceful nature of their protest, aimed solely at drawing government attention to their plight. This demonstration follows previous reports by SaharaReporters that the Nigerian military had granted lawyers and family members access to the alleged coup plot suspects at the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) detention facility in Abuja, after months of restricted contact. Concerns had also been raised over limited access to detainees and plans to try the suspects in batches before military-style tribunals rather than open civilian courts, a move critics contend raises significant questions about transparency and due process.