Villa Worker Admits Receiving N8.8m From Alleged Coup Plotter

A staff member at the presidential villa, Zekari Umoru, has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that he unknowingly became entangled in an alleged plot to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu after being misled by one of the accused persons.

Umoru, who works with Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and is attached to the maintenance department of the villa, made the claim in a recorded extra-judicial statement played before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on Tuesday.

Standing trial alongside five others over alleged treason charges, Umoru said his connection with the suspects began in May 2025 through Ahmed Ibrahim, a police inspector assigned to the presidential clinic.

According to him, Ibrahim introduced him to a man identified as Hassan Mohammed, later revealed to be “Col. Mohammed Ma’aji”, under the pretext of helping him secure electrical contracts at a construction site.

Umoru said he initially believed Ma’aji was a civilian businessman because the transfers he received carried the name Hassan Mohammed. He added that Ma’aji frequently gave him money, sometimes in Ibrahim’s presence.

He also recounted several meetings involving Ma’aji and another associate named Usman, whom he later discovered was a military officer.

During one gathering at a location known as “Tiger Bar”, Umoru said Ma’aji entertained the group with drinks, asked questions about their occupations and handed out between N100,000 and N120,000 to those present.

The villa worker further alleged that on September 24, 2025, Ma’aji gave him a “Ghana-Must-Go” bag containing cash, which he later deposited at a Zenith Bank branch where it was counted to be N8.8 million.

He said another meeting the following day led to the release of an additional N2 million, with Ibrahim promising to later explain the purpose of the money.

Growing suspicious over the repeated cash payments, Umoru said he confronted Ibrahim, who allegedly disclosed that Ma’aji was dissatisfied with the state of the country and intended to “sanitise the government” with support from unnamed associates described as “boys”.

He further claimed Ibrahim spoke about a plan involving an ambulance driver who could help facilitate access into the presidential villa in exchange for financial benefits.

Despite the allegations, Umoru insisted he had no knowledge of any actual coup plot and maintained that he had been deceived.

He also admitted helping Usman gain access into the presidential villa after informing security operatives that the visitor had come to see him. According to him, he later found Usman taking photographs inside his office and immediately cautioned him.

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Throughout the video evidence, Umoru denied involvement in any conspiracy to overthrow the government, insisting that Ibrahim misled him.

He added that he would have distanced himself from Ma’aji had he known he was a military officer allegedly linked to plans against the government.

Umoru also apologised to his employers and expressed support for Tinubu’s administration.

The Federal Government, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, is prosecuting six suspects over the alleged coup plot against the Tinubu-led government.

The defendants in the case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026 are Umoru, Ahmed Ibrahim, Mohammed Gana — a retired army captain, Erasmus Ochegobia Victor — a retired navy captain, Bukar Kashim Goni and Abdulkadir Sani.

They were arraigned before the court on April 22 on a 13-count charge.