A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has rescheduled the trial of five men described as aides of former Governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, to October 5.
News Point Nigeria reports that the trial, which was initially scheduled for Wednesday, was moved forward due to the absence of Justice Peter Lifu, who was not available in court.
The five defendants, Reuben Ayuba, Musa Mohammed, Friday Paul, Paganengigha Anagaha and Ayebaifie Suobite were arraigned on July 1 on a two-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/299/2026, filed by the Department of State Services (DSS).
They are accused, among other allegations, of failing to disclose the whereabouts of Sylva, a claim they denied by pleading not guilty to the charges.
Justice Lifu had, on July 1, granted bail to each of the defendants in the sum of N5 million, with two sureties each, who must be residents of Abuja and provide their tax clearance certificates.
In the first count, the defendants were alleged to have, on or about April 28 in Abuja, become “accessories after the fact of felony by concealing the whereabouts of Timipre Sylva, who is a fugitive of the law.”
The offence is said to be contrary to Section 519 of the Criminal Code Act.
In the second count, they were accused of conspiring to commit a felony by allegedly concealing the whereabouts of Sylva, who is described in the charge as a fugitive of the law.
The offence is said to be contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The five defendants, who were arrested last year, had earlier filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit, demanding either their release or arraignment before a court.
In the suit, they described themselves as domestic workers and aides to Sylva.
Anagaha’s wife, Preye, stated in a supporting affidavit that DSS operatives arrested her husband and others on October 25 at Sylva’s residence in Maitama, Abuja.
Preye, who described her husband as “a domestic staff member” to Sylva, further stated that “when Chief Timipre Sylva was not found at the residence, the operatives arrested three aides and domestic workers including my husband.”
Sylva’s name also appeared in a separate charge filed by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) against six men currently being prosecuted before a Federal High Court in Abuja over an alleged coup plot against the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Although Sylva is not listed as a defendant in the 13-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026, he was described in some counts as “still at large.”
The six defendants in that matter are: Major General Mohammed Gana (rtd.), Captain Erasmus Victor (rtd.), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Abdulkadir Sani.
Hearing in the trial of the six alleged coup plotters is expected to continue on September 30 before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja.