Journalists Barred from Bail Hearing of 6 Suspected Coup Plotters

The trial of six suspected coup plotters, including two former military officers and a serving police inspector, has resumed at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The defendants are retired Major-General Mohammed IBRAHIM GANA, retired Navy Captain ERASMUS VICTOR, and Police Inspector AHMED IBRAHIM. Others are ZEKERI UMORU, who is an electrician at the Presidential Villa, as well as BUKAR GONI and ABDULKADIR SANI, a Zaria-based Islamic cleric. The defendants are facing a thirteen-count charge bordering on treason, terrorism, and money laundering, alongside former Petroleum Minister, TIMIPRE SYLVA, who is currently at large. Today’s session before Justice JOYCE ABDULMALIK is for hearing of the defendants’ bail application, but reports indicate that journalists are barred from covering the proceedings. Before the commencement of the session, court officials, backed by operatives of the Department of State Services, directed reporters to vacate the courtroom.