Coup Plotters Planned to Force Their Way Into Aso Rock if Insiders Refused Cooperation — Witness

The alleged coup plotters accused of planning to unseat the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu intended to force their way into the Presidential Villa, popularly known as Aso Rock, if insiders failed to cooperate with them.
A witness in the ongoing trial of six alleged coup plotters before the Federal High Court in Abuja told investigators that one of the alleged masterminds, Ma’aji, threatened to force his way into the Villa if necessary.
The fourth defendant, Zekeri Umoru, made the allegation in a video statement previewed in court during proceedings in the trial-within-trial concerning the admissibility of the defendants’ extrajudicial statements.
Umoru and five others were arraigned in April before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on a 13-count charge bordering on alleged complicity in a plot to overthrow the government of President Tinubu.
The six defendants ,Maj. Gen. Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (retd.), Capt. Erasmus Victor (retd.), Insp. Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani pleaded not guilty to all the charges after they were read in court.
At the resumed hearing, Umoru, who worked with Julius Berger on the Presidential Villa clinic project, alleged that Ma’aji, through the third defendant, Insp. Ibrahim, asked him to recruit between 18 and 19 individuals working within the Presidential Villa, including soldiers, Department of State Services (DSS) personnel, and Julius Berger staff members.
According to the video evidence presented in court, Umoru claimed that plans were discussed to cut off electricity supply within the Presidential Villa to facilitate the operation.
However, he said he warned that such an action would immediately attract attention, trigger investigations, and likely lead to the detention of workers on duty.
He further alleged that Insp. Ibrahim later demanded N100 million from Ma’aji to facilitate access into the Villa through an ambulance route.
However, Ma’aji reportedly rejected the amount, describing it as excessive, and insisted that he could still gain access by force, although he acknowledged that “there would be bloodshed.”
Umoru also told investigators that he became uncomfortable with the alleged plot and repeatedly attempted to return the money allegedly given to him, insisting that the Presidential Villa “was not child’s play.”
He denied having access to the Villa’s solar power facility, despite allegations that he planned to sabotage the electricity supply within the complex.
The court further heard that Umoru did not immediately report the alleged plot to security authorities because Insp. Ibrahim allegedly advised him to delete messages and avoid contacting Ma’aji due to an ongoing audit in their office.