The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that six people charged with coup against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration be kept in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The case was heard on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 afternoon. The Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), told the court the charges were ready and asked that they be read to the defendants.
The hearing was briefly delayed. One of the defendants said his lawyer was not available, while another said he only understood Arabic and Hausa. The court paused to get an interpreter.
When the session resumed, all six defendants took their pleas. They all denied the charges and pleaded not guilty to the 13 counts against them.
After that, the prosecution asked the court to keep them in DSS custody and to speed up the trial. Most of the defence lawyers did not object, but the lawyer for the first defendant said he plans to apply for bail.
The judge agreed to fast-track the case, ordered that the defendants remain in DSS custody with access to their lawyers, and fixed April 27, 2026, for the trial to begin.
