Coup Trial: “I Was Misled,” Defendant Tells Court in Recorded Statement
The fourth defendant in the alleged coup plot trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja, Zekeri Umoru, has denied any knowledge of a plan to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s Government, insisting in a recorded statement played in court that he was “misled.”
Umoru, a maintenance staff member at the Presidential Villa working with Julius Berger Nigeria, made the claim in a video interview presented by the prosecution as part of its case against six defendants standing trial over the alleged plot.
Global Mirror News gathered that proceedings on Tuesday began on a sombre note after defence counsel informed the court of the death of a colleague, U.H. Kamra, who reportedly died in a car accident after Monday’s sitting. Presiding judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, observed a minute’s silence before ordering that the trial continue.
In the video played in open court, Umoru said he was introduced to individuals linked to the case through the third defendant, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, attached to the Presidential Clinic. He explained that Ibrahim later connected him to a man identified as Hassan Mohammed, whom he eventually discovered was Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji.
According to Umoru, he initially believed Ma’aji to be a civilian businessman interested in hiring him for electrical work at a construction site. He, however, recounted a series of meetings where he allegedly received cash payments in the presence of Ibrahim and another associate, Usman.
He told investigators that during one such meeting at a location identified as Tiger Bar, Ma’aji allegedly gave between ₦100,000 and ₦120,000 to him and others after buying drinks and asking about their occupations.
Umoru further revealed that on September 24, 2025, Ma’aji allegedly handed him a “Ghana Must Go” bag containing cash, which he deposited at a Zenith Bank branch. The amount was reportedly counted at ₦8.8 million. He added that another ₦2 million was given to him the following day during a separate meeting involving Inspector Ibrahim.
Global Mirror News gathered that Umoru said he later became uncomfortable with the repeated cash transactions and sought an explanation. He claimed Ibrahim told him that Ma’aji was dissatisfied with the State of the Country and intended to “sanitise the Government” with the support of unnamed associates described as “boys.”
Despite these revelations, Umoru maintained that he had no prior knowledge of any coup plan.
“I was misled,” he said in the video, adding that he would have distanced himself had he known Ma’aji’s true identity as a Military Officer or suspected any ulterior motive beyond business dealings.
The defendant also admitted escorting Usman into the Presidential Villa, stating that Security Personnel allowed entry after he identified the visitor as someone there to see him. He added that he later saw Usman taking photographs in his office and warned him to stop.
Expressing regret, Umoru apologised to his employers and reaffirmed his loyalty to the current administration.
The court also viewed a separate video involving Islamic cleric Sheikh Imam Kassim Goni, who denied any involvement in the alleged plot. Goni stated that funds he received from Ma’aji were strictly for prayers and charitable purposes, including spiritual interventions related to personal matters.
However, investigators presented financial records showing transactions running into millions of naira, including a ₦10 million transfer in October 2024, which they argued contradicted aspects of his claims.
The prosecution further suggested that conversations referenced in the videos—particularly those relating to gaining access and procuring “work tools”—raised concerns about a broader scheme. Both Umoru and Goni, however, denied any awareness of a coup plot.
During the proceedings, counsel to the sixth defendant, Michael Numa (SAN), told the court he had only just received video exhibits relating to his client and requested time to review them. While defence lawyers pushed for an adjournment, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), urged the court to proceed with the accelerated hearing earlier ordered.
Justice Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the matter to May 11, 12, and 13 for continuation of trial.
Global Mirror News recalls that during Monday’s sitting, the court also reviewed separate video evidence in which other defendants allegedly admitted to coded communications, meetings, and reconnaissance activities around the Presidential Villa, while denying involvement in any concrete plan to overthrow the Government.
