News
Revealed: Coup Plotters Zoned Vice President To South East
Fresh details have emerged in the investigation into the alleged coup plot against the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, following the circulation of a handwritten document said to contain the proposed structure of a replacement government if the plot had succeeded.
The document, reportedly recovered from a notebook compilation examined by Pointblanknews.com, allegedly outlined strategic appointments and key offices expected to form the framework of a new regime after the planned overthrow of the Tinubu administration.
Among the positions listed in the handwritten notes were “Leader of New Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief,” “Vice President or Prime Minister as second in command,” Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), National Security Adviser (NSA), as well as top anti-corruption and security positions tied to the EFCC and DSS.Nigerian market analysis
The alleged plotters were also said to have proposed the establishment of a “National Patriotic Ruling Council” (NPRC), reportedly modelled after the defunct Armed Forces Ruling Council that functioned as the supreme decision-making body during Nigeria’s military era.
The documents further revealed plans for the creation of new agencies and institutions, including the National Religion Regulatory Agency (NRRA), National Infrastructure Development Maintenance Agency (NIDMA), and the Nigerian Internal Security Committee (NISC).
Other policy proposals allegedly contained in the notes included the formation of a committee to review the final removal of petroleum subsidy and another committee to examine salaries and welfare packages for members of the armed forces and other security agencies.
The alleged conspirators were also said to have proposed a major restructuring of the armed forces into six command zones, with three General Officers Commanding (GOCs) assigned to each zone. The plans reportedly included a merger of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
According to the handwritten notes, key offices in the proposed administration were to be allocated based on the federal character principle. The Vice President position was allegedly zoned to the South East; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Minister of Defence to the South West; the Attorney-General of the Federation and Chief of Defence Staff to the South South; the National Security Adviser to the North West; the EFCC Chairman to the North East; while the Director-General of the DSS and Inspector-General of Police were to come from the North Central.
Although portions of the document reportedly remain difficult to decipher, security sources believe the notes may have formed part of the operational framework of the alleged conspirators.
The revelations add a fresh dimension to the ongoing treason and terrorism trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The Federal Government had in January 2026 announced that security agencies uncovered an alleged plan by a network of serving and retired military officers, alongside civilians, to topple the government of President Tinubu. Investigations later led to the arrest and detention of several suspects, while others were declared wanted.
Those currently facing charges include retired Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, retired Naval Captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, serving Police Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Abdulkadir Sani. Former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva was also named in court documents as allegedly linked to the plot and remains at large, according to prosecutors.
Court filings accused the defendants of conspiring to “levy war against the state” and attempting to destabilise the democratically elected government through unconstitutional means. The charges include treason, terrorism, conspiracy and alleged terrorism financing.
The case is widely regarded as Nigeria’s most serious alleged coup attempt since the country returned to democratic rule in 1999.Nigerian market analysis
During recent proceedings, the Federal High Court ordered an accelerated hearing of the matter, while journalists were reportedly barred from covering the trial due to security concerns. Witnesses from the Nigerian Army and intelligence services have already begun testifying on how the alleged plot was uncovered.
One of the prosecution witnesses told the court that intelligence reports first alerted military authorities to suspicious meetings and covert communications involving some of the accused persons. Investigators also alleged that encrypted messaging platforms and secret coordination channels were used during the planning stages.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to all charges during their arraignment and remain in DSS custody pending the determination of their bail applications and continuation of the trial.
…Mbah administration moves to boost transparency, accelerate C-of-O processing
The Enugu State Government has launched a fully digitized land transaction and documentation system for the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation (ESHDC) as part of Governor Peter Mbah’s ongoing reforms aimed at promoting transparency, accountability, efficiency, and investor confidence in the state’s land administration sector.
The digital transformation initiative, officially unveiled during the commissioning of the corporation’s digitized office operations and workflow system in Enugu, is expected to revolutionize land documentation, payment processing, records management, and issuance of Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O), while eliminating delays and irregularities associated with manual procedures.
Speaking at the event, Governor Mbah said the initiative aligned with the administration’s broader vision of building a modern, technology-driven public service architecture capable of supporting investment and sustainable urban development.
The governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, stressed that the digitization project reflects one of the administration’s core governance philosophies focused on transparency, traceability, accountability, and seamless service delivery.
According to him, the state government recognizes that for Enugu to emerge as a preferred investment destination, investors and property owners must have confidence in the integrity and reliability of government processes.
“What we are doing today is a reminder that the governance principles set out by our administration are demonstrable. Technology is one of the key enablers to ensure accountability, transparency, and improved service delivery,” he stated.
He noted that the digital platform would enable residents and investors to verify property documents electronically, conduct land searches seamlessly, and confidently use property documents as collateral for financial transactions.
The governor further commended staff of the Housing Development Corporation for embracing reforms and aligning with the administration’s transformation agenda, describing the initiative as “a change in the culture of how government business is done.”
Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Barr. Chimaobi Okorie, described the digitization exercise as an offshoot of Governor Mbah’s campaign promise to modernize land administration in line with Sustainable Development Goal 15, which promotes sustainable land use and resource management.
He recalled that shortly after assuming office, the governor signed the Enugu State Geographic Information Systems (ENGIS) Law to provide legal backing for the digitization of the state’s land administration framework.
“What we are witnessing today is a continuation of that vision. The Housing Development Corporation, being a commercial arm of government, is aligning with the digital standards already being implemented across the state,” he said.
Okorie explained that the new digital process would guarantee document security, eliminate cases of missing files, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen stakeholder confidence in the housing sector.
He added that the reform would also boost internally generated revenue and support ongoing efforts to bridge the housing deficit through increased private sector participation and estate development.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on ICT, Nnaemeka Ani, described the initiative as further evidence of Governor Mbah’s commitment to e-governance and digital transformation.
According to him, the Housing Development Corporation can now process land documentation digitally, receive payments electronically, and integrate seamlessly with the state’s Geographic Information Systems platform.
“Today, Enugu State is fast becoming the centre of e-governance in Nigeria because we have a digital governor. What we are seeing here today is part of the governor’s deliberate effort to transform how government works for the benefit of the people,” he added.
A major highlight of the project was the role played by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Revenue, Adenike Okebu, whose office coordinated the transition process and implementation framework for the digital migration.
Okebu, credited with driving extensive digital and financial audits across the corporation to ensure transparency, accountability, and operational readiness before deployment of the system, praised the governor for supporting the digital infrastructure that made the transition possible.
She stated that the audit process laid the foundation for the seamless migration from manual to digital operations, assuring that available properties can now be accessed through the online portal.
In her remarks, the Director of Administration of the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, Precious Nnaji, described the commissioning as a historic milestone in the corporation’s modernization and institutional reform drive.
She said the digitized workflow system would significantly improve communication, data security, document processing, operational coordination, and productivity across departments, while positioning the corporation to meet the growing housing needs of the state.
“This initiative is not merely about computers and technology; it is about creating a smarter, faster, and more responsive corporation capable of meeting the housing and administrative needs of Enugu State,” she said.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja by the party’s National Secretary, Ikenna Enekweizu.
Enekweizu said the committee was approved by the National Leader of the party following recommendations by the National Working Committee as part of preparations for the forthcoming primaries.
He stated, “The committee is mandated to review, scrutinise, and consider the reports and recommendations of the National Screening Committee, and to take appropriate decisions on the screening outcomes of all aspirants.
“This process is designed to promote consensus-building and ensure the emergence of widely acceptable candidates through a free, fair, and credible mechanism.”
The NDC named Moses Cleopas as chairman of the committee, while Enekweizu will serve as secretary.
The party stated that only aspirants who successfully pass through the screening process and obtain clearance from the National Selection Committee would be eligible to purchase nomination forms.
Enekweizu added that the arrangement was designed to encourage consensus-building among aspirants and strengthen unity within the party.
According to him, where consensus arrangements fail, direct primaries would be conducted between May 28 and May 30 in line with the party’s electoral guidelines.
The statement added, “This process is designed to promote consensus-building and ensure the emergence of widely acceptable candidates through a free, fair, and credible mechanism.”
The Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party has denied allegations that it barred presidential aspirants from obtaining nomination forms ahead of the party’s presidential primary.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the faction’s spokesman, Ini Ememobong, described the claims as false, insisting that all interested aspirants remain free to purchase and submit their forms within the approved timeframe.
“We state clearly that the Interim National Working Committee is not aware of any hindrance by the party through its officials to prevent anybody from purchasing the forms,” the statement said.
Ememobong explained that the party recently extended the deadline for the purchase and submission of forms following appeals from party members.
“By the amended timetable, the last date for purchase and return of completed forms is Friday, 22nd May 2026, and the special screening for those yet to be screened is on Saturday, 23rd May 2026,” he said.
“To this end, we urge the public to discountenance any story alleging that the party is preventing people from purchasing forms,” Ememobong stated.
“We reiterate that our forms are still available during the period specified in the amended timetable, and all Nigerians seeking to genuinely contest on our platform are free to obtain, fill, and return their forms.”
The clarification comes days after the Turaki-led PDP announced plans to screen former President Goodluck Jonathan as its sole presidential aspirant.
However, the faction later waived the screening requirement for Jonathan, with former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu saying the former president did not need to undergo screening because of his status as a former leader of the country.
Ma’aji, in a preliminary objection filed before the court martial in charge No: DHQ/GAR/ABJ/49/ADM, between the Armed Forces of Nigeria and Brig Gen M.A. Sadiq, Col Ma’aji, alongside 35 others, urged the court martial to strike out the charges instituted against him, arguing that the military tribunal lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the case.
Ma’aji, in the objection, contended that the charges were fundamentally defective and incompetent in law.
The objection, brought pursuant to Rules 36(1) and 37(1) of the Rules of Procedure Army 1972, urged the tribunal to make an order striking out and/or dismissing the charges against the 2nd Accused.
“An Order striking out and/or dismissing the charges against the 2nd Accused in Charge No: DHQ/GAR/ABJ/49/ADM for lack of jurisdiction. An order declining jurisdiction to entertain the charge as constituted.
“And for such further order(s) as the Honourable General Court Martial may deem fit to make in the circumstances.”
The second accused in the charge also argued that the complainant, listed as the Armed Forces of Nigeria, lacked the legal capacity to institute criminal proceedings.
According to Ma’aji, “The complainant (Armed Force of Nigeria) is not a juristic person and thereby lacks the requisite competence to initiate and prosecute the criminal proceedings in Charge No: DHQ/GAR/ABJ/49/ADM.”
Ma’aji further maintained that because the complainant allegedly lacked legal personality, the General Court Martial was equally deprived of jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Citing several Supreme Court and Court of Appeal authorities, including Green v. Green, Fawehinmi v NBA, and Mothercat Nig Ltd v Reg. Trustees of the Full Gospel Assembly Nig, the defence argued that only natural persons or entities expressly recognised by law could sue or be sued.
The written address submitted in support of the objection stated, “The name ‘Armed Forces of Nigeria’ described as ‘complainant’ in Charge No: DHQ/GAR/ABJ/49/ADM is unknown to law and destitute of any legal capacity to exercise Prosecutorial powers in respect of the charges preferred against the 2nd Accused.”
The second accused also challenged the competence of counts one to nine of the charge, which allegedly accused him of inciting other officers to join a plot to overthrow President Tinubu.
Ma’aji insisted that the allegations contained in the particulars of the charges did not fall within the offence of mutiny as contemplated under Section 52(1)(b) of the Armed Forces Act, 2004.
He argued that the particulars of the charge “disclose offences against the Sovereign State otherwise known as the Federal Republic of Nigeria and constitutional order rather than offences relating to military or service discipline or command structure.”
He maintained that the phrase “plot to overthrow the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” contained in the charge could not be equated with “lawful authority in the Federation” as envisaged under Section 52(3) of the Armed Forces Act.
“It is submitted that the Federal Republic of Nigeria does not fall within the phrase ‘a lawful authority in the Federation’ as used in Section 52(3) of the Armed Forces Act, Laws of Federation, 2004,” Ma’aji contended.
Ma’aji also cited the Supreme Court’s warning against judicial expansion of statutory provisions, insisting that any ambiguity in penal legislation must be resolved in favour of the accused persons.
Quoting the Supreme Court decision in Nigerian Navy v. Lambert, the second accused submitted: “It is settled law that penal statutes are to be construed strictly to the benefit of the accused person and that where there is a reasonable construction that avoids the penalty in any particular case, the court must adopt that construction.”
The preliminary objection further contended that for a charge of mutiny or incitement to mutiny to stand, there must be allegations of concerted insubordination, defiance of military authority or refusal of lawful command or organised military rebellion against superior military command.
According to the defence, the particulars supplied by the prosecution failed to disclose those essential ingredients.
On this ground, he urged the General Court Martial to uphold his preliminary objection and dismiss the charges against him for want of jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, a witness in the ongoing trial of six alleged coup plotters before the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, told investigators that Ma’aji allegedly threatened to force his way into the Presidential Villa, even if insiders refused to cooperate.
The fourth defendant, Zekeri Umoru, made the allegation in a video previewed in court during proceedings in the trial-within-trial over the admissibility of the defendants’ extrajudicial statements.
Umoru and five others in April were arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on 13 counts of criminal charges over alleged complicity in an alleged coup plot to overthrow Tinubu’s government.
The six defendants: Maj Gen Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (retd), Capt Erasmus Victor (retd), Insp Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Abdulkadir Sani, however, pleaded not guilty to all the counts after the charge was read to them.
At the resumed sitting, Umoru, who worked with Julius Berger on the Presidential Villa clinic project, alleged that Ma’aji, through the third defendant, Insp Ibrahim, asked him to recruit between 18 and 19 persons working inside the Villa, including soldiers, Department of State Service personnel and Julius Berger staff.
According to the video evidence played in court, Umoru alleged that plans were discussed to switch off electricity within the Presidential Villa to aid the operation, but he warned that such an action would immediately trigger investigations and lead to the detention of workers on duty.
He further claimed that Insp Ibrahim later demanded N100m from Ma’aji to facilitate access into the Villa through an ambulance route, but Ma’aji allegedly rejected the amount as excessive, insisting he could still gain entry by force, although “there would be bloodshed.”
The witness also told investigators that he became uncomfortable with the alleged plan and repeatedly attempted to return the money given to him, insisting that the Presidential Villa “was not child’s play.”
He denied having access to the Villa’s solar power plant, despite allegations that he intended to sabotage the electricity supply within the complex.
The court further heard that Umoru did not immediately report the alleged plot to authorities because Insp Ibrahim allegedly advised him to delete messages and avoid contacting Ma’aji due to an ongoing audit in their office.
Following the screening of the video evidence, Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter until May 21 for continuation of the trial-within-trial.
…Explains Promotion Dispute
The Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu, Dr. Ngozichukwu Unaogu, has appealed to workers’ unions in the hospital to reconsider their indefinite strike action and return to the negotiation table in the interest of patients.
Dr. Unaogu urged the union leaders to consider the plight of patients receiving treatment at the hospital, especially those travelling from distant locations for medical care.
The workers had embarked on an indefinite strike over alleged irregularities in staff promotions, accusing the management of stagnating them.
Appealing for calm, the CMD said management remained open to dialogue and amicable resolution of the dispute.
“I am appealing to the union executives of the hospital to reconsider their decision and come back to the negotiation table for amicable resolution of the issue. They should consider the patients in the wards and people travelling from far distances for medical services,” she said.
Dr. Unaogu explained that the controversy stemmed from efforts by the hospital to correct what she described as a faulty staff structure in line with directives from the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.
According to her, before the 2025 senior staff promotion exercise, management held meetings with union executives to explain the need to regularise the structure and establish proper vacancies for promotion.
She said the directive meant that some successful staff members would remain on their current salary scale temporarily because they had already been enjoying benefits attached to positions/rank they’re seeking promotion to.
“We informed them before the promotion interview that the Office of the Head of Service instructed the hospital to correct the structure before promotions. The union executives agreed at the time,” she stated.
The CMD said after the promotion results were forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Health for approval and eventually released, some workers protested and demanded withdrawal of the promotion letters.
She noted that management made several attempts to explain the situation through meetings and also a town hall session where the Director of Administration outlined the benefits of the restructuring exercise.
“We thought they understood, but they later issued a 21-day ultimatum demanding reversal of the promotions or they would embark on strike,” she added.
Dr. Unaogu further disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Health had been informed of the dispute and has already made arrangements to send representatives to intervene within the week.
She said management had continued engagements with labour leaders, including meetings held Wednesday last week and two days ago, but expressed surprise that the unions still proceeded with the strike despite pleas for more time to allow the ministry’s intervention.
Also speaking, the Director of Administration, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Enugu, Dr. Ndidi Igwenagu, explained that correcting the promotion structure would open up the system and create opportunities for more departments to attain directorate status.
According to her, “the present structure has limited the hospital to only two directors, the Director of Administration and the Medical Director, because of the inconsistencies in the promotion framework,”she said.
She stated that once the structure is corrected in line with the approved Federal Civil Service and CONHESS arrangement, departments such as Nursing, Pharmacy, Accounts and Social Welfare would be able to produce directors.
Dr. Igwenagu noted that the current system has stagnated career progression and blocked officers from reaching their appropriate levels.
She maintained that the restructuring would allow deputy directors and other senior officers to rise naturally through the ranks without distortions caused by the skipping of CONHESS 10.
She appealed to the unions to return to work and present concrete proposals to the Federal Ministry of Health for consideration rather than continue the strike.
She insisted that the management was not victimising workers but only implementing corrections directed by the Office of the Head of Service and relevant authorities to align the hospital with the approved civil service structure.
Meanwhile, clinical services have continued albeit in the hospital as the doctors, interns and locum staff are not on strike. In addition, the heads of departments and officers on directorate cadre have also continued to ensure essential services are provided while they supervise the interns under them.
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