Court Remands Six Defendants in Coup Plot Case

On Wednesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the remand of six defendants in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) following their arraignment on 13 counts of charges related to an alleged coup plot and terrorism. The proceedings commenced at 1:46 PM, with Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi informing the court of the charges.

The session was briefly interrupted when the third defendant indicated that their counsel was indisposed, and the sixth defendant required an interpreter for Arabic and Hausa. The court resumed at 2:18 PM, where the six defendants entered a not guilty plea to the charges.

The prosecuting counsel requested that the defendants be remanded in DSS custody and urged the court to grant an expedited hearing of the case, which was unopposed by the defense lawyers. Although the counsel for the first defendant indicated an intent to file a bail application, the court ruled in favor of the prosecution's request for an expedited hearing, ordering that the defendants remain in DSS custody with access to legal representation.

The matter was adjourned until April 27, 2026, for trial proceedings.