A soldier told the Federal High Court Wednesday that former Governor Timipre Sylva had financial links to an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu, as the court accelerated the treason trial of six suspects investigated by the Army and DSS.
The prosecution opened its case with four witnesses before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, including a masked operative from the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police identified only as “AAA.”
AAA said the probe began after then-Chief of Army Staff Gen. O. O. Oluyede received credible intelligence that Col. M. A. Ma’aji and others were plotting a coup. The Army arrested Ma’aji, seized his Samsung phone, and searched his home.
Inside Ma’aji’s jotter, investigators found operational plans, names of top officials targeted for assassination, and details of political and structural changes to follow the takeover, the witness said.
Forensic analysis of Ma’aji’s phone revealed “elaborate plans and links” between him, serving officers, and the six defendants in court, he testified.
“We also found financial trails between Ma’aji, former Governor Timipre Sylva and some of the defendants here before the court,” AAA told the court, led by DPPF Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.
The phone also contained code words used by the plotters. “Monies were paid to some of the defendants in pursuit of the coup plot,” the witness added.
Investigators traced funds through a firm, Purple Wave Ltd, described as “one of the companies used as a conduit to sponsor the coup plot.” The EFCC supplied Purple Wave’s financial records.
Walking the court through the account, AAA pointed to multiple large debits in September and October 2025: N100m and N50m on Sept 19; N100m and N50m on Sept 22; N100m and N50m on Sept 24; N80m on Sept 26; N70m on Sept 29; N90m on Sept 30; and N90m on Oct 2.
Though the first N100m was listed as “part payment for clearing of debris along the coastal corridor,” investigators concluded it was “dispensed in pursuit of the coup plot,” not for construction, AAA said.
The witness said plotters held meetings at Green Land Apartment and BrookVille Hotel in Abuja where they exchanged “anti-government rhetoric” and agreed on “the need for a regime change.”
They mapped execution plans, identified key officers to assassinate, and targeted Niger Barracks where senior officers live. Plans included seizing major roads during the coup, AAA testified.
“They also shared appointments among themselves, including agencies to be set up and those to be merged after the coup,” he said.
Some defendants took part in “extensive consultation and divination” knowing a coup was underway and received money for it, the witness added. Investigators recovered vehicles being “retrofitted for kinetic purposes.”
Meeting venues were confirmed and hotel receipts retrieved. The court admitted a letter from BrookVille Hotel and payment receipts despite defence objections.
Oyedepo also tendered extracts from Ma’aji’s phone and a flash drive of audio-visual recordings of defendants’ statements. The defence objected because the recordings weren’t front-loaded. Justice Abdulmalik ordered the prosecution to serve the defence before playing them.
Earlier, compliance officers from Jaiz Bank, SunTrust Bank, and a legal officer from Providus Bank testified. The court admitted account statements for Abdulkadir Sani, the sixth defendant; Purple Wave Ltd; and A & A Express Link.
The six defendants face treason charges linked to Col. Ma’aji and other serving officers and civilians, the witness said. Sani was the only defendant who did not make a statement before the special investigative panel but did so before the Military Police.
Justice Abdulmalik adjourned further hearing to May 4 and 5 at 11 a.m., when the fourth prosecution witness will continue.
Stay ahead with the latest updates! Join The ConclaveNG on WhatsApp and Telegram for real-time news alerts, breaking stories, and exclusive content delivered straight to your phone. Don’t miss a headline — subscribe now!
