One of the suspected coup plotters, Zekeri Umoru, has said there were discussions about switching off the electricity supply to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to aid the alleged coup.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that Umoru, an employee of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc in the Maintenance Department at the Presidential Villa, made the claim in a video evidence played on Wednesday before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The video was tendered during the trial-within-trial in the case filed by the Federal Government against six defendants accused of treason, terrorism and related offences.
In the video, Umoru, who is the fourth defendant, was seen being questioned by members of the Special Investigative Panel that first investigated the matter.
He said he warned that any attempt to cut electricity supply to the Villa would immediately attract investigation and lead to the detention of workers on duty.
He denied having access to the Villa’s solar power plant, despite allegations that he planned to sabotage power supply within the complex.
Umoru said he became uncomfortable with the alleged plan because accessing the Presidential Villa “was not a child’s play.”
Alleged Recruitment Plan
The defendant alleged that Col. Mohammed Ma’aji, described as the alleged mastermind of the coup plot, offered him money through Insp. Ahmed Ibrahim, the third defendant, was to recruit between 18 and 19 persons working inside the Villa.
According to him, those to be recruited included soldiers, officials of the Department of State Services and Julius Berger workers.
He also told investigators that Ma’aji allegedly said he wanted access to the Presidential Villa and could achieve it “with force” if those recruited from inside refused to cooperate.
Umoru claimed that Ibrahim later demanded N100m from Ma’aji to facilitate the operation through an ambulance route into the Villa.
He said Ma’aji rejected the demand because the amount was excessive.
According to him, Ma’aji insisted that he could still gain access to the Presidential Villa by force, although “there would be bloodshed.”
Umoru further said he repeatedly attempted to return the money allegedly given to him after becoming uneasy with the plan.
Why I Didn’t Report — Defendant
When asked why he did not immediately report the alleged discussions to the authorities, Umoru claimed Ibrahim discouraged him from doing so.
He alleged that Ibrahim asked him to delete messages and avoid contacting Ma’aji because of an ongoing audit in their office.
Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter till May 21 for continuation of the trial-within-trial.
The trial-within-trial is being conducted to determine whether statements made by the six defendants were voluntary.
The Federal Government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, had arraigned the defendants on a 13-count charge before the court.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026, was filed on April 20 by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.
The defendants are retired Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Ibrahim Gana; Capt. Erasmus Ochegobia Victor; Insp. Ahmed Ibrahim; Zekeri Umoru; Bukr Kashim Goni; and Abdulkadir Sani.
A former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, who was alleged to be connected to the case, was listed as being at large.
The defendants are facing allegations bordering on treason, terrorism, failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.