One of the suspects standing trial over an alleged plot to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu, Sani Abdulkadir, has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that he warned the group their mission would fail.
According to reports by counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama, Abdulkadir made the disclosure in a video recording played in court on Monday during the resumed hearing of the alleged coup case.
The sixth defendant admitted receiving money to offer prayers for the success of the operation but insisted he cautioned the suspects that the plan would eventually collapse due to betrayal from within.
In the recording, Abdulkadir, an Islamic cleric, said he became acquainted with the alleged ringleader, identified as Maaji, less than a year ago through an intermediary known as Sanda.
He explained that Sanda approached him for spiritual assistance, informing him that his “Oga” was planning a coup and needed prayers to determine whether the operation would succeed.
After conducting prayers, Abdulkadir said he informed them that the plot would fail because two individuals involved would eventually expose the scheme.
According to him, the group later requested additional prayers to stop the two persons from speaking out.
The cleric added that money was subsequently transferred to him for prayers and charitable activities, while names of alleged participants were sent to him for inclusion in the prayers.
Abdulkadir said he only became aware of the arrests through media reports after Sanda informed him that Maaji had gone unreachable for four days.
He maintained that the money he received was solely for prayers and not to support any coup attempt.
The defendant also acknowledged that he understood a coup to mean the military overthrow of a government but admitted he never reported the alleged plot because he did not know who to approach.
Abdulkadir further told the court that he was arrested after visiting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to resolve restrictions placed on his bank account.
According to him, EFCC officials invited him to explain the source of funds paid into the account.
He denied making any incriminating statement while in EFCC custody and stated that he was neither assaulted nor tortured, insisting all statements credited to him were voluntarily made.
Following the video playback, the prosecution sought to tender extrajudicial statements allegedly made by the six defendants before a special investigation panel and military police authorities.
However, defence counsel opposed the move, arguing that the statements were obtained involuntarily and in breach of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
The lawyers alleged that the defendants were not informed of their rights to legal representation and raised concerns over discrepancies between recorded videos and written statements.
They also cited allegations of coercion, inducement, torture, and inadequate footage showing the physical condition of the defendants during interrogation.
Counsel to the fifth defendant further argued that the court should conduct separate trial-within-trial proceedings for each disputed statement instead of a combined hearing.
But the prosecution urged the court to reject the objections, insisting that the law does not require separate proceedings and that the trial judge has the discretion to decide how evidence is admitted.
Ruling on the matter, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ordered a single joint trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness and admissibility of the disputed statements.
The case was adjourned until May 12.
The Federal Government had on April 22 arraigned six suspects on a 13-count charge bordering on alleged terrorism and conspiracy to overthrow the Tinubu administration.
The defendants — Mohammed Gana, Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, a retired naval captain, Ahmed Ibrahim, a serving police inspector, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Sani Abdulkadir — all pleaded not guilty.
Former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva, was also mentioned in the charge and is reportedly at large.
The defendants are accused of waging war against Nigeria and engaging in acts bordering on treason and terrorism.
