Fresh details have emerged on how a police inspector attached to the Presidential Villa allegedly became entangled in a suspected plot by military officers and civilians to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Investigative documents compiled in connection with the alleged coup suggest that the suspected conspirators sought insider assistance to gain access to the heavily fortified Presidential Villa in Abuja as part of preparations for what they allegedly described as the “H-Hour” of their operation.
The documents, obtained by Premium Times, showed that the alleged plotters considered access to the Villa critical to the success of their plan and subsequently contacted a serving police inspector, Ahmed Ibrahim, who was attached to VIP escort duties at the seat of government.
According to the prosecution materials, Ibrahim’s routine duties included escort assignments and guarding entry points within the Presidential Villa.
However, investigators alleged that rather than immediately reporting the approach, the inspector devised a scheme to convince the suspected coup plotters that he could help them gain access while allegedly collecting money from them.
The allegations have not been proved in court.
36 Officers Face Court Martial
The revelations come as 36 serving military officers are facing a General Court Martial in Abuja over their alleged involvement in the suspected plot.
Six other defendants, including retired military officers, a serving police inspector and civilians, are separately standing trial on 13 counts before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Those listed as defendants in the Federal High Court case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026, include retired Major-General Muhammed Gana; retired Navy Captain Erasmus Victor; Ibrahim; Zekeri Umoru; Bukar Goni; and Abdulkadir Sani.
All the defendants have pleaded not guilty. Their lawyers have also objected to the admissibility of extra-judicial statements allegedly made by them during investigations.
The wider investigation reportedly involved a covert intelligence operation coordinated by the Army Headquarters and the State Security Service, during which several military personnel, police officers and civilians were arrested.
Not all those arrested have been charged.
Intelligence reports cited by the newspaper claimed that the alleged conspiracy uncovered in September 2025 was not the first attempt by members of the group to seize power.
Investigators alleged that the conspirators initially planned to disrupt the inauguration of Tinubu on May 29, 2023, when former President Muhammadu Buhari handed over power.
That alleged plan was said to have collapsed because of inadequate funding and logistical difficulties.
The operation was allegedly revived in 2025 after former Bayelsa State governor and former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, was accused of transferring almost ₦1 billion in several tranches through a Bureau De Change operator to finance the plot.
The claims against Sylva remain allegations and have not been established by a court. Investigators also alleged that the suspected conspirators compiled a list of prominent government officials who were to be targeted during the planned takeover.
Those reportedly named included President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
The service chiefs and Commander of the Guards Brigade were also allegedly among the intended targets.
How Villa Officer Met Alleged Strategist
In a statement attributed to him by investigators, Ibrahim said he became acquainted with an alleged strategist in the plot, Mohammed Ma’aji, a colonel, through Corporal Audu Momoh of the 343 Artillery Regiment.
Momoh, who had previously served at the Presidential Villa before his transfer, allegedly introduced Ma’aji to the police inspector during a Ramadan lecture at the Central Mosque in Abuja.
Ibrahim stated, “I didn’t know Col Ma’aji in person until during this year’s fasting lecture at Central Mosque in Central Area, Abuja. Cpl Audu Momoh said to me that this was Col Ma’aji ‘I was telling you who brought that madam for the audience with the Chief of Staff that failed’.”
According to Ibrahim, Momoh described Ma’aji as being from Bida, Niger State, and sought assistance in gaining access to one of the President’s aides over an alleged delay in Ma’aji’s promotion to brigadier-general.
Ibrahim said he suggested that Ma’aji contact Musa Haro, whom he described as a cousin of the late former President Buhari, but the approach allegedly failed.
The inspector said his first major meeting with Ma’aji took place after he was invited to break the Ramadan fast at Ma’aji’s residence in Lokogoma, Abuja.
He said subsequent meetings were held at a tea spot on Gimbiya Street, Garki, where discussions allegedly focused on Nigeria’s economic difficulties and delayed military promotions.
According to the statement, Ma’aji allegedly disclosed the plan to remove the government during another meeting in the first week of August 2025.
Ibrahim quoted him as saying the government “was not being sincere to the citizens” and that worsening economic hardship meant “they need to be flushed out.”
The police inspector alleged that Ma’aji subsequently asked him to facilitate access to the Presidential Villa.
Inspector Allegedly Plotted To Collect Money
Ibrahim claimed that instead of genuinely helping the suspected conspirators, he reached an agreement with Umoru, a Julius Berger electrician working within the Presidential Villa, to deceive Ma’aji into believing that access could be arranged.
According to the statement, “we agreed to just buy Col Ma’aji time and get what we can get, knowing that penetrating the Villa is not feasible.”
Ibrahim told investigators that Ma’aji later gave him money on different occasions.
He alleged that the payments included Ramadan and Sallah gifts, as well as transfers of ₦200,000, ₦100,000, ₦50,000 and ₦20,000 into his OPay and Union Bank accounts.
He also claimed that Ma’aji gave him ₦1 million in cash ahead of his wedding in October 2025.
The inspector said he later introduced Ma’aji to Umoru during a meeting at Tiger Bar along Airport Road in Abuja.
He also told investigators that ₦200,000 from the money was given to Momoh for his children’s school fees, while ₦380,000 was spent on wedding expenses, including dowry, food and other ceremonies.
Senior Officers Allegedly Toured Villa
Despite claiming that access to the Presidential Villa was impossible, Ibrahim admitted in the statement attributed to him that he escorted two serving major-generals through sections of the Villa at Ma’aji’s request.
He allegedly took Major-General M.A. Usman through Gate 8, House 3, Gate 10 and Aguda House before exiting through the Supreme Court Gate and later the Bullet Secretariat.
He also claimed that he conducted a similar tour for another senior officer identified as Major-General A.J. Ibrahim.
Investigators are reportedly relying on those alleged movements as part of the prosecution’s evidence.
The investigation documents also revealed a series of code words allegedly used by members of the suspected network.
According to Ibrahim’s statement, “farmer” meant troops, while “fertiliser” and “equipment” referred to money.
“Harvesting” allegedly meant overthrowing the government, while “crops” referred to authorities.
The phrase “master of ceremony” was allegedly used for the Commander-in-Chief, while “farmland” referred to the Presidential Villa.
Ibrahim also claimed that he fabricated the existence of a man identified as Sarkin Malami and convinced Ma’aji that the supposed contact could help raise money for the operation from Sokoto State.
He alleged that Ma’aji booked flight tickets for him and the purported Malami, but that he never travelled and instead falsely claimed that the trip had taken place.
The inspector also said he introduced another acquaintance, identified simply as Alhaji Musa from Kano State, to Ma’aji and allegedly presented him as a businessman capable of raising between N500m and N1bn.
According to Ibrahim, he later falsely told Ma’aji that they were waiting for a cheque from Sokoto, although no money was eventually produced.
He further alleged that on April 9, 2025, he requested additional funds from Ma’aji under the pretext that the money was meant for “gate guys” who would supposedly help the conspirators enter the Presidential Villa.
Ibrahim told investigators that the claim was another fabrication intended to extract money from Ma’aji.
Inspector Explains Failure To Report Plot
Despite insisting that he never intended to help the suspected coup plotters, Ibrahim admitted that he did not alert his superiors or any security agency after allegedly learning about the plan.
Asked why he failed to report the matter, he said it was because of “fear of the unknown.”
He also claimed that only Umoru and Ali Musa, an ambulance driver attached to the Presidential Clinic, knew about the alleged coup discussions within the Presidential Villa.
The allegations contained in Ibrahim’s statement form part of the prosecution’s case and have not been established by any court.
The defendants have pleaded not guilty and are challenging aspects of the prosecution’s evidence as proceedings continue before the Federal High Court and the General Court Martial.
