THE prosecution on Wednesday opened its case in the accelerated trial of six men accused of plotting to overthrow the President Bola Tinubu-led government, with a key witness alleging before the court that over N600 million was disbursed for the operation and linking former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva, to financial trails uncovered during investigations.
News Point Nigeria reports that one of the prosecution witnesses, a soldier attached to the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police (NACMP), gave detailed testimony on how the alleged coup plot was uncovered and the discoveries made by investigators.
The witness, whose identity was shielded and identified only as “AAA,” told the court that he was part of the investigative team constituted after the then Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General O.O. Oluyede, received intelligence reports alleging that Colonel M.A. Ma’aji and others were plotting to overthrow the government.
Led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), the witness confirmed that he knew the six defendants standing trial.
According to him, the defendants were arrested in connection with the alleged coup plot involving Col. Ma’aji, other serving military officers and civilians.
The witness explained that after the intelligence report was received by the then COAS, it was analysed, processed and found credible, prompting the army chief to direct his team to investigate the allegations.
He said investigators subsequently arrested Col. Ma’aji, recovered his Samsung Galaxy phone and conducted a search of his residence where a jotter and other items were found.
According to the witness, the jotter contained operational plans, names and designations of ranking members of the current administration, as well as names of officers allegedly marked for assassination during the planned coup.
“Inside the jotter, we also found information about political and structural changes that were to be made upon the execution of the coup,” the witness said.
He further told the court that forensic analysis of the phone recovered from Col. Ma’aji revealed elaborate plans and connections between the colonel, some military officers involved in the alleged plot and the defendants before the court.
“We also found financial trails between Ma’aji, former Governor Timipre Sylva and some of the defendants here before the court,” the witness stated.
“Also, inside the phone, we found code words known among the plotters, including some of the defendants before this court.”
“We also observed financial trails between some of the defendants and Col. M.A. Ma’aji. Monies were paid to some of the defendants in pursuit of the coup plot,” he added.
The witness also revealed that investigators uncovered a company known as Purple Wave, which he alleged was used as a conduit for financing the coup plot.
According to him, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which investigated the financial transactions, provided the company’s financial records.
While being led through the account statements of Purple Wave by Oyedepo, the witness identified several transactions allegedly linked to funding the coup operation.
He said records showed debit transactions of N100 million and N50 million on September 19, 2025; another N100 million and N50 million on September 22; N100 million and N50 million on September 24; N80 million on September 26; N70 million on September 29; N90 million on September 30; and another N90 million on October 2, 2025.
Although the transactions carried explanations indicating what the funds were supposedly meant for, the witness maintained that investigations revealed they were allegedly used in pursuit of the coup plot.
He cited the first N100 million transaction, which was described as payment for clearing debris along a coastal corridor to Purpose Wave, but investigators allegedly found that the money was not used for that purpose.
The witness also alleged that several meetings connected to the plot were held at locations including Green Land Apartment and BrookVille Hotel in Abuja.
According to him, anti-government rhetoric dominated discussions during the meetings.
“They discussed negative things about the government and concluded that there was the need for a regime change,” he said.
The witness further alleged that the plotters developed detailed execution plans, identified key government officials to be targeted and selected officers who would allegedly carry out assassinations.
He told the court that targets identified for attack included the Niger Barracks where senior military officers reside, while plans were also made to take control of key roads and streets during execution of the coup.
“The plotters also shared appointments among themselves, including agencies to be set up and those to be merged after the coup,” the witness added.
“The plotters also did extensive consultation and divination, in which some of the defendants took part, knowing that a coup was ongoing. They received money for these purposes.”
“They also bought vehicles, which were recovered from shops where they were being retrofitted for kinetic purposes,” he said.
According to the witness, investigators visited some of the hotels and locations where meetings were allegedly held and also recovered hotel payment receipts connected to reservations.
At that point, the prosecution sought to tender a letter from BrookVille Hotel and attached payment receipts as evidence.
Although lawyers representing the defendants objected to the admissibility of the documents, they indicated they would reserve detailed arguments until the final address stage.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik subsequently admitted the documents in evidence.
The prosecution also tendered extracts from the phone recovered from Col. Ma’aji, which were equally admitted by the court.
The witness further told the court that the defendants voluntarily made written statements before a special investigative panel and that the sessions were audio-visually recorded.
He said they also volunteered written statements before the Military Police, with those sessions equally captured on video.
According to him, only Abdulkadir Sani, identified as the sixth defendant and the last person arrested, did not make a statement before the special investigative panel but later did so before the Military Police.
Oyedepo later applied to tender a flash drive containing the audio-visual recordings of the statement-taking sessions.
However, lawyers representing the defendants opposed the move.
One of the defence counsel, Paul Erokoro (SAN), argued that the device had not been frontloaded as required.
Oyedepo conceded the point, prompting Justice Abdulmalik to direct the prosecution to first serve the defence team with the recordings before they could be played in open court.
Earlier in the proceedings, the prosecution called two Compliance Officers from Jaiz Bank and SunTrust Bank, as well as a Legal Officer from Providus Bank.
Through the first witness, Munahura Anas, a Compliance Officer with Jaiz Bank, the prosecution tendered documents including the statement of account linked to the sixth defendant, Abdulkadir Sani.
The prosecution also tendered documents relating to an account maintained by Purple Wave Ltd through Taiwo Adeola Wellington, a Compliance Officer with SunTrust Bank.
Similarly, through Gideon Elijah, a Legal Officer with Providus Bank, the prosecution tendered documents including the account statement of A & A Express Link.
The first three bank witnesses were subsequently cross-examined by lawyers representing the defendants.
Justice Abdulmalik later adjourned further hearing in the matter till May 4 and 5 at 11am, when the fourth prosecution witness is expected to continue his testimony.