An army officer has told the Federal High Court in Abuja how investigators uncovered an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu, detailing financial links, meetings, and operational plans tied to the suspects.

Witness reveals origin of investigation

The witness, identified as “AAA,” said he was part of the investigative team set up after the Chief of Army Staff received intelligence about a planned coup involving Colonel M. A. Ma’aji and others.

He explained that the intelligence report was analysed and confirmed credible before directives were issued to launch a full investigation into the alleged plot.

According to him, the probe led to the arrest of Col. Ma’aji and the recovery of key items, including a Samsung phone and a jotter containing sensitive information.

Recovered items expose alleged plans

The witness told the court that the recovered jotter contained operational details, including names of top government officials and security officers allegedly marked for assassination.

He added that further forensic analysis of the phone revealed deeper links between the suspects and other individuals standing trial.

“Inside the jotter, we found plans for political and structural changes after the coup, as well as names of officials to be targeted,” he said.

Financial trails and transactions uncovered

The court also heard that investigators traced multiple financial transactions allegedly linked to the coup plot through a company identified as Purple Wave.

According to the witness, several large sums, including ₦100 million and ₦50 million transfers, were moved across different dates in September and October 2025.

He stated that although the transactions were labelled for unrelated purposes, investigations suggested they were used to fund the alleged plot.

“We observed financial trails between some of the defendants and Col. Ma’aji. Monies were paid in pursuit of the coup,” he said.

Meetings and strategy sessions detailed

The witness further revealed that meetings were held in locations such as Green Land Apartment and BrookVille Hotel in Abuja, where discussions allegedly centred on regime change.

He said the plotters mapped out key targets, including military barracks and major roads, and shared roles among themselves ahead of the planned operation.

“The plotters discussed taking over key infrastructure and even shared appointments for after the coup,” he added.

Court admits evidence amid objections

During proceedings, the court admitted several documents, including hotel records and extracts from the recovered phone, despite objections from defence lawyers.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik also ruled in favour of the prosecution’s request to shield the identities of certain witnesses, citing the sensitive nature of the case.

She held that the law permits such measures in cases involving national security and terrorism concerns.

Charges and next hearing date

The defendants are facing charges including treason, terrorism, money laundering, and failure to disclose security intelligence.

They were arraigned on April 22 and pleaded not guilty to the 13-count charge.

The court has adjourned further hearing in the matter to May 4 and 5 as proceedings continue.