Abuja court admits statements in alleged coup case

A Federal High Court in Abuja admitted written statements and interrogation recordings from six defendants accused of plotting a coup, ruling on November 5, 2026, that they had not substantiated claims the materials were obtained through torture or coercion. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik admitted the materials as evidence after a trial-within-a-trial examining whether they were made voluntarily. The defendants’ lawyers had challenged the statements and recordings, arguing that their clients did not give them voluntarily. The prosecution urged the court to admit the materials. Abdulmalik said she found no evidence that the defendants had been under duress and described their coercion allegations as an afterthought. The ruling means the materials may be considered during the trial; it does not establish that the allegations in them are true. The six defendants are retired Major General Mohammed Gana, retired Navy Captain Erasmus Victor, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni and Abdulkadir Sani. The Federal Government arraigned them on April 22 on a 13-count charge that includes treason, terrorism-related offences, failure to disclose security intelligence and money...