A member of the alleged coup plotters to forcefully eject President Bola Tinubu from office, a Zaria, Kaduna State-based Islamic cleric Abdulkadir Sani has explained how he offered spiritual consultancy for the leader of the failed plot.
Penpushing reports that Sani, made this known in a video recording tendered by the prosecution and played during Monday’s proceedings in the coup trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The defendant in the video, which captured moments of his interrogations by military investigators, said he knew the alleged coup ringleader, Mohammed Ma’aji, a serving army colonel, for less than a year.
Penpushing further reports that the Islamic cleric explained that Ma’aji approached him through a man identified as Sanda, requesting prayers concerning the alleged coup plot adding that Sanda informed him that his “Oga” intended to stage a coup and needed spiritual prayers and divination regarding its success.
The defendant, confirming that he received money from Ma’aji through their go-between, added that he gave a warning that the coup would fail due to betrayal from two persons involved in the plot.
Penpushing also reports that the spiritualist stated that he was again contacted to pray against the possible betrayal from the two persons, adding that a message was later relayed back to him through Sanda requesting further prayers so that the two individuals would not betray the group.
The defendant stated that money was subsequently sent to him for prayers and charity, while names of individuals allegedly involved in the plot were also forwarded to him for inclusion in the prayers.
Penpushing reports that he explained that shortly after the prayers commenced, Sanda informed him that Ma’aji had not been seen for four days, adding that he later learnt through media reports that arrests had been made over an alleged coup plot.
The cleric, however, maintained in the video that the funds transferred to him were not payments for supporting a coup but were meant for prayers, and told investigators that he never reported the alleged plot because he did not know who to report to.
Penpushing further reports that he narrated that he was eventually arrested after visiting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over restrictions placed on his bank account, recalling that he had gone to withdraw from the money transferred to him when he discovered that the account had been flagged.
The defendant said after contacting a Deputy Director of the anti-graft agency, he was invited to the commission’s office where he explained that the money was meant for prayers, insisting in the recording that he did not make any statement relating to a coup while in the agency custody.
Penpushing also reports that he told investigators that after conducting the initial prayers, he informed them that the operation would fail and that two persons would eventually betray those involved
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