Coup Plot: Villa Staff Says He Was Tricked

A worker at the Presidential Villa has told investigators that he was misled by others now standing trial with him over an alleged plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s government, according to video evidence played in court on Tuesday.

Zekari Umoru, an employee of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc assigned to the Maintenance Department at the Villa, is the fourth defendant in the treason case.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja watched the video recording of Umoru’s statement to investigators. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported on the proceedings.

Umoru said his involvement began in May 2025 through the third defendant, Insp Ahmed Ibrahim, who works at the Presidential Clinic.

Ibrahim introduced him to a man named Hassan Mohammed, later identified as “Col. Mohammed Ma’aji.”

According to Umoru, the introduction was made under the pretence of offering him electrical work at a construction site. He said he initially believed Ma’aji was a civilian businessman after seeing his name on money transfers.

The defendant described several cash transactions. He said Ma’aji gave him money, sometimes with Ibrahim present. On other occasions, Ma’aji visited with another associate named Usman, whom Umoru later learned was in the military.

At a place called “Tiger Bar,” Umoru said Ma’aji bought drinks and asked about their professions before handing over between 100,000 and 120,000 naira to him and his associates.

A larger transaction took place on September 24, 2025. Umoru said Ma’aji gave him a “Ghana-Must-Go” bag filled with cash. He deposited the money at a Zenith Bank branch, where it was counted at 8.8 million naira.

The following day, Umoru said he and Ibrahim met Ma’aji again and received an additional 2 million naira. Ibrahim was told he would get more details later.

Umoru told investigators he became uneasy about the constant flow of money and asked Ibrahim for an explanation.

Ibrahim allegedly said Ma’aji was unhappy with the country’s situation and planned to “sanitise the government” with help from unnamed “boys.”

Umoru also claimed that Ibrahim mentioned a plan involving an ambulance driver to gain access to the Presidential Villa, with financial rewards expected.

But Umoru insisted in the video that he had no knowledge of any concrete plot and said his role was unintentional. He said he would have stayed away from Ma’aji if he had known the man was a military officer or had any agenda beyond business.

He apologised to his employer and expressed support for President Tinubu’s administration. Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the case to May 11, May 12, and May 13 to allow the trial to continue.