Court Bars Journalists from Coup Plotters' Bail Hearing

On Monday, a Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Joyc Abdulmalik, prohibited journalists from attending the bail hearing of six individuals accused of attempting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu's administration. The defendants, including Moham Ibrahim Gana, a retired Major General, Erasmu Victor, a retired Navy Captain, and Ibrahim Zekeri Umoru, a police inspector, were arraigned last week on 13 counts, including treason and terrorism.

They pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court has scheduled a bail application hearing for April 27, while the defendants remain in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

This incident is not the first time journalists have been denied access to Justice Abdulmalik's courtroom, with officials citing limited space as the reason. Earlier, at least 40 suspects linked to the alleged coup plot were arrested, with 36 already arraigned in a court martial.