Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load. Supported by SKIP ADVERTISEMENT Nigeria Charges Six With Treason Over Coup Plot The group, made up of civilians and former members of the country’s armed forces, is accused of treason linked to a failed coup attempt in October. Listen · 4:17 min Share full article President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria at his swearing-in ceremony in Abuja in 2023. Credit… Temilade Adelaja/Reuters By Ruth Maclean Ruth Maclean is the West Africa bureau chief, covering Nigeria. April 21, 2026 See more of our coverage in your search results. Encuentra más de nuestra cobertura en los resultados de búsqueda. Add The New York Times on Google Agrega The New York Times en Google Nigeria has charged six men with treason for an attempted coup against President Bola Tinubu last October, court filings show. The move begins the judicial process in a case that has unsettled Africa’s most populous country, in a region where military takeovers have become increasingly common. The six defendants, a mix of former army officers and civilians, are the first of over a dozen people linked to the plot to face charges. They were charged on Monday and included retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, a former high-ranking military commander. The men are scheduled to appear before a judge on Wednesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, according to court officials. Besides the six named in the charge sheet, Timipre Sylva, a former state governor and oil minister, was also linked to the plot in the court filing but will not appear with the other men on Wednesday. He remains at large. Like the other six, Mr. Sylva faces charges of treason and conspiracy to commit an act of terrorism. Last year, his spokesman said he was in Britain for a medical check. West Africa has seen numerous coups and coup attempts in recent years, with several governments overthrown in Sahelian countries bordering Nigeria to the north and northwest. Nigeria itself experienced many coups in its first few decades, before transitioning to democracy in 1999. The trial of the six men charged on Monday appears to focus only on the civilians and retired officers accused of October’s plot, while the active soldiers will face separate proceedings in military court. We are having trouble retrieving the article content. Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in . Want all of The Times? Subscribe . Related Content Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT