A member of the alleged coup plotters, to topple the government of President Bola Tinubu, Zekeri Umoru, has disclosed that he was introduced to the alleged mastermind of the plot, Colonel Mohammed Ma’aji as a businessman who wanted to give him legitimate work and not a military officer linked to any plot.
Penpushing reports that Umoru who is the fourth defendant, told the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, adding that he was introduced to Ma’aji by a police inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, who is the third defendant attached to the Presidential Clinic in Abuja.
The defendant, a maintenance worker at the Presidential Villa employed by Julius Berger Nigeria, said he later received cash payments, running into millions of naira, from them during meetings.
Penpushing further reports that in the recordings which captured the interrogations of the defendants by security operatives, said he had no knowledge of any plan to overthrow the President, but was “misled” into believing he was dealing with a civilian businessman who was offering him electrical work.
The defendant in the video played in court, said he received several cash payments from Ma’aji during meetings attended by Ibrahim and another associate identified as Usman, explaining that at a gathering at Tiger Bar, Ma’aji gave between N100,000 and N120,000 to him and others after buying drinks.
Penpushing also reports that he stated that on September,24, 2025, Ma’aji handed him a bag containing cash, which he later deposited in a Zenith Bank branch and found to be N8.8 million, adding that another N2 million was given the following day during a separate meeting.
The fourth defendant said he later became uncomfortable with the repeated payments and asked Ibrahim for an explanation, who later told him that Ma’aji was unhappy with the state of the country and planned to “sanitise the government” with support from others.
Penpushing reports that he added that there were discussions about using an ambulance driver to gain access to the Presidential Villa, with expectations of financial reward, lamenting that he would have distanced himself if he knew of any plan beyond business dealings.
The defendant despite this confession denied any knowledge of a coup plot, however, admitted escorting an associate into the Presidential Villa but said he later warned him after noticing he was taking photographs.
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