Coup Trial: Cleric says he took money for prayers, warned plot would fail

An Islamic cleric told a Federal High Court in Abuja that he accepted money to pray for a planned coup but warned the plotters it was doomed to fail.

Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir, the sixth defendant in the trial of alleged conspirators against President Bola Tinubu’s government, made the claim in a video-recorded statement played in court on Monday.

In the recording, Abdulkadir said he was approached through an intermediary, Sanda, to offer spiritual support for the plot allegedly led by Col. Maaji.

“Sanda informed me that his ‘Oga’ intended to stage a coup and needed prayers regarding its likely success,” he said. After praying, he told investigators he advised them the operation would fail and that two people would expose those involved.

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He said a follow-up request came in for prayers to silence the two individuals, and money was later transferred for prayers and charity. Names of alleged participants were also sent for inclusion.

Abdulkadir said he learned of the arrests through media reports after Sanda told him Maaji had been unreachable for four days. He insisted the funds were strictly for prayers and not support for a coup, adding that he did not report the plot because he did not know who to approach.

The cleric said he was arrested after visiting the EFCC to resolve restrictions on his bank account. He denied making any coup-related statement while in EFCC custody and said all statements were made voluntarily without assault or torture.

When the prosecution sought to tender extra-judicial statements from all six defendants, defence lawyers objected, alleging coercion, lack of legal representation, and discrepancies between video and written statements.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ruled for a single joint trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness and admissibility of the statements.

The case was adjourned to May 12.