Six people in Nigeria, including a retired major general and a serving police inspector, have been charged with treason for attempting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu in a coup last year.
The charges were filed by the Attorney General at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the defendants are scheduled to appear before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on Wednesday.
A seventh individual, former governor and oil minister Timipre Sylva, has also been mentioned in the charges but is currently at large.
Speculation regarding the coup plot began in October 2025, coinciding with the abrupt cancellation of a military parade intended to celebrate Nigeria's 65th Independence Anniversary. Officials cited security threats at the time, but various reports suggested a connection to an alleged coup scheme.
While the military denied such plot suggestions, in January, the military indicated plans to court-martial 16 officers involved in the purported attempt to unseat the president.
It's unclear if the treason charges are in addition to the military trials. The defendants face a range of accusations, including terrorism and money laundering, with reports suggesting that they acted in concert with Col Mohammed Alhassan Ma'aji, allegedly the leader of the coup plot, who was also arrested.
Charges allege that the defendants suppressed intelligence regarding the coup, aiming to destabilize the state while neglecting to disclose information that might have thwarted an act of terrorism. The money laundering allegations involve the transfer of funds purportedly linked to financing terrorism.
Under Nigerian law, treason is a grave crime with severe penalties, potentially including life imprisonment. Despite historical challenges, Nigeria has maintained civilian rule since 1999, and its military has expressed loyalty to civilian governance.
