A staff member of the Presidential Villa, Zekeri Umoru, has told a court that he became entangled in an alleged plan to overthrow the government of Bola Tinubu without fully understanding its purpose.
Umoru, who works in the maintenance department through Julius Berger Nigeria, is one of several defendants facing trial over the suspected coup attempt. In a recorded statement presented in court, he explained that his involvement began in May 2025 after he was introduced to certain individuals by Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim of the Presidential Clinic.
According to him, Ibrahim connected him to a man identified as Hassan Mohammed, later revealed to be Colonel Mohammed “Ma’aji.” The meeting was initially framed as a business opportunity related to electrical work at a construction site, leading Umoru to believe Ma’aji was a civilian contractor.
He told investigators that he received money from Ma’aji on several occasions, sometimes in Ibrahim’s presence. He also encountered another associate, Usman, whom he later discovered to have military links. During one meeting at a place referred to as “Tiger Bar,” Ma’aji reportedly spent money on drinks and gave cash gifts ranging from ₦100,000 to ₦120,000.
Umoru further disclosed that on September 24, 2025, he was handed a large sum of money in a bag, which he later deposited in a branch of Zenith Bank, where it was counted as ₦8.8 million. The following day, he said an additional ₦2 million was given to him during another meeting with Ibrahim and Ma’aji.
Becoming uneasy about the repeated payments, Umoru said he sought clarification from Ibrahim. He claimed Ibrahim told him that Ma’aji was unhappy with the state of the country and intended to “sanitize the government,” allegedly with support from unnamed associates. He added that Ibrahim mentioned a plan involving an ambulance driver as a possible means of gaining access into the Presidential Villa.
Despite these revelations, Umoru maintained that he was unaware of any concrete coup plan and denied knowingly participating in any illegal activity. He insisted he had been misled and would have withdrawn if he had understood the true intentions of those involved.
He also recounted an incident in which he escorted Usman into the Presidential Villa without being questioned by security personnel, only to later discover him taking photographs in his office, which he said he immediately cautioned against.
Umoru expressed regret over his actions, apologised to his employers, and reaffirmed his loyalty to the current administration.
In a related development, the court also reviewed a statement from an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Imam Kassim Goni, who denied any connection to the alleged plot. Goni stated that any money he received from Ma’aji was solely for prayers and charitable activities, including spiritual requests tied to career advancement. He added that he relocated to Karu in Abuja after fleeing insurgency in Maiduguri.