A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, viewed a video-recorded statement by Sheikh Sani Abdulkadir, the sixth defendant in the ongoing trial of persons accused of conspiring to overthrow the government of President Bola Tinubu. In the recording, the Sheikh, who admitted receiving money to pray for the success of the operation, however, claimed that he warned the alleged plotters that their plan was doomed and that they would be sabotaged from within.
The video recording was played during the continuation of trial proceedings, with the fourth prosecution witness (PW4) still in the witness box. In the recording, Abdulkadir, an Islamic cleric, said he had known the alleged ringleader, Colonel Maaji, for less than a year and was approached through an intermediary identified as Sanda to offer spiritual support for the plot. He told investigators that Sanda informed him that his “Oga” intended to stage a coup and needed prayers regarding its likely success.
After conducting the prayers, Abdulkadir said he advised them the operation would fail and that two persons would eventually expose those involved. A subsequent request was relayed back to him, he said, asking for further prayers to prevent those two individuals from speaking out. Money was later transferred to him for prayers and charity, and names of alleged participants were forwarded for inclusion.
Abdulkadir said he first learnt of the arrests through media reports, after Sanda had informed him that Colonel Maaji had been unreachable for four days. He maintained throughout the recording that the funds he received were strictly for prayers and not in support of any coup attempt. He also acknowledged understanding that a coup meant a military overthrow of government but said he did not report the plot because he did not know who to report to.
The cleric said his arrest came after he visited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to resolve restrictions placed on his bank account. Upon contacting an EFCC deputy director, he was invited to the commission’s office to explain the source of the funds. He denied making any coup-related statement while in EFCC custody and stated that he was neither assaulted nor tortured, and that all his statements were made voluntarily.
Following the playback, the prosecution sought to tender extra-judicial statements made by all six defendants before a Special Investigation Panel and military police authorities. However, defence lawyers of all six defendants objected, arguing the statements were either involuntarily obtained or made in violation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA). Their objections include failure to inform defendants of their right to legal representation; alleged discrepancies between video recordings and corresponding written statements; allegations of coercion, inducement and torture; and claims that the footage did not adequately establish the physical condition of defendants during recording.
Counsel to the fifth defendant further argued that, given the number of accused persons, the court should conduct separate trial-within-trial proceedings for each disputed statement rather than a combined exercise. Responding, the prosecution urged the court to dismiss the objections, maintaining that the law does not mandate separate proceedings for each defendant and that the trial judge holds discretion over how evidence is received.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ruled in favour of a single joint trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness and admissibility of all the disputed statements. The case was then adjourned to May 12.
