Coup Plot: Trial of five men charged with concealing Sylva’s whereabouts adjourned

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday adjourned the trial of five men accused of failure to disclose the whereabouts of former Governor Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa until October 5.

The case, which was fixed for commencement of trial before Justice Peter Lifu, could not go on because the court did not sit.

The matter was subsequently fixed for October 5 after the court vacation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the five suspects, Reuben Ayuba, Musa Mohammed, Friday Paul, Paganengigha Anagaha and Ayebaifie Suobite, were arraigned on July 1 by the Department of State Services (DSS).

They were arraigned on a two-count charge.

Sylva, who is at large, and six others are currently facing a trial in a sister court presided over by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik over an alleged plan to topple President Bola Tinubu’s government.

He was alleged to have a financial link to the six suspected coup plotters presently on trial.

The suspects are retired Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Capt. (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, Insp. Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Abdulkadir Sani, listed as 1st to 6th defendants, respectively.

The Federal Government filed a 13-count charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026, against the defendants.

Although Sylva, who is also a former minister of state for petroleum resources in the late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari government, is not named as a defendant in the charge, he is listed as being at large.

Meanwhile, after the five suspects were arraigned before Justice Lifu on July 1, they pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/299/2026.

The Prosecution Counsel, E.G. Orubor, sought a trial date to enable them to establish their case against the defendants.

Justice Lifu thereafter admitted them to N5 million bail each with two sureties each who must be residents of Abuja and provide their tax clearance certificates.

This was after the defendant’s lawyers, including Sunusi Musa, SAN, moved applications for their bail.

The judge adjourned the matter until July 22 for commencement of trial.

In count one, 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 Timiprey Sylva, who is a fugitive of the law.”

The offence is contrary to Section 519 of the Criminal Code Act LEN, 2004.

In count two, they were alleged to have conspired to commit a felony by concealing the whereabouts of Sylva, who is a fugitive of the law.

The offence is contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act LFN, 2004. (NAN)