VeryDarkMan in Trouble as Court Orders DSS to Investigate Leaked Coup Trial Evidence

• The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the Department of State Services to investigate allegations that evidence tendered in the trial of six men accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration was displayed on social media by controversial activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan.

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate allegation by the prosecution that part of the evidence it tendered in court and served on lawyers to the six men being prosecuted for allegedly attempting to execute a coup plot against President Bola Tinubu were displayed on social media by controversial activist, VeryDarkMan. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik also ordered that if there was any evidence on social media, which contravened the court’s earlier order for witnesses’ protection, the DSS should investigate and bring the perpetrator to book. The judge said the investigation should be conducted while the trial is ongoing since all the defendants, through their lawyers, denied being involved.

Counsel to the prosecution, Rotimi Oyedepo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, had mid-way into proceedings told the court that he got information that some videos tendered in the case were posted on social media by a citizen called VeryDarkMan. He informed the court that the same individual was among the audience. Oyedepo told the court that he watched the video on VeryDarkMan’s social media page and described the development as a national security concern. He noted that the post had garnered more than 6,000 online views and argued that the leak was extremely prejudicial to the proceedings. He further informed the court that VeryDarkMan was present in the courtroom and could potentially explain how he obtained the video.

When asked by the judge to respond, all the six defence lawyers took turns to deny any knowledge of how the video appeared on social media. Counsel to the first defendant, Mohammed Ndayako, a SAN, expressed support for an investigation, stating that his worry was that this was coming at the stage when they were trying to move their bail application, and he was not opposed to an investigation. While some defence lawyers suggested that members of the media covering the trial should also be investigated, counsel to the sixth defendant, Sanusi Musa, a SAN, outrightly opposed the proposal for a probe. He argued that he was surprised that the DPP said the court should investigate the matter and questioned who the suspects were, suggesting that the video might have been leaked from the court, by the DPP, or from the Ministry of Justice. He insisted that whatever the DPP said could not be acted upon without evidence and that if the prosecution wanted an investigation, they should file a formal application.

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Ruling on the issue, Justice Abdulmalik cited provisions of Section 232(5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, relating to the protection of vulnerable witnesses and compliance with court orders. The judge subsequently directed the Department of State Services to investigate any evidence on social media that may have breached the court’s earlier orders. She ordered the DSS to identify and bring any culprit before the court, adding that any resulting prosecution would be treated as a separate matter from the ongoing trial.

Earlier, the prosecution urged the court to admit in evidence the statements made to investigators by the defendants. The fourth prosecution witness in the trial-within-trial being conducted to ascertain the voluntariness or otherwise of the statements, made the request while telling the court that the statements were voluntarily made by the defendants, who he said, were not subjected to any form of torture or harassment. The witness, identified as “DDD” and an officer of the Nigerian Army who participated in the investigation, was led in evidence by Oyedepo during which he denied all the allegations by the defendants, including that they were tortured to make the statements in which five of them, except the first, admitted knowing about the plot. On whether the claim by the defendants that their feet were chained, the witness said it was not true and that the defendants walked into the interview room by themselves. He argued that if it was true that they were chained, the sound of the chain would have been heard in the video that was played in court earlier on Tuesday. On why their lawyers were not present while they were being interviewed, the witness said none of them requested to have either their lawyers, family members, officials of the Legal Aid Council or a Justice of the Peace present. He disclosed that the investigation was conducted by a multi-agency team comprising the Nigerian Army, the DSS, the Defence Intelligence Agency, the EFCC, and other security agencies. Under cross-examination by lawyers to the defendants, the witness restated that the defendants did not make their statements in the presence of either their lawyers, family members, officials of the Legal Aid Council or a JP. He however insisted that they were neither tortured nor compelled to make the statements. At the conclusion of the cross-examination, Oyedepo announced the closure of the prosecution’s case in the trial-within-trial, having called four witnesses.

The judge proceeded to hear the bail applications filed by the defendants. While the defence lawyers urged the court to grant bail to their clients on liberal terms, the prosecution urged the court to dismiss the applications. Justice Abdulmalik then adjourned the matter until June 25 and June 30 for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants to conduct their defence in the trial-within-trial, following which the 4th, 5th and 6th defendants would conduct theirs on July 1 and July 2. The judge also fixed ruling on the bail application for July 20.

The six men are being prosecuted over their alleged involvement in the alleged coup plot to topple President Bola Tinubu-led government. The defendants include a retired major general, Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, and a retired navy captain, Erasmus Ochegobia Victor. The rest are Ahmed Ibrahim, a police inspector; Zekeri Umoru, an electrician at the Presidential Villa; Bukar Kashim Goni; and Abdulkadir Sani, a Zaria-based Islamic cleric. They face 13 counts of treason, terrorism, failure to disclose information, and money laundering over the alleged failed coup. Information about the alleged secret plot was leaked to authorities last September, leading to the arrest of serving and retired military officers alongside their alleged civilian conspirators.

VeryDarkMan in Trouble as Court Orders DSS to Investigate Leaked Coup Trial Evidence

Makinde Imposes 16-Hour Curfew in 10 Oyo LGAs as Security Operations Intensify

The Oyo State Government has announced a 16-hour curfew across 10 local government areas bordering the Old Oyo National Park, citing heightened security concerns and ongoing operations aimed at protecting lives and property.

Governor Seyi Makinde approved the restriction, which takes effect from Wednesday, June 24, 2026, and will run daily from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. for an initial period of 48 hours.

The directive was contained in a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Musibau Babatunde, who explained that the temporary measure is designed to support security agencies in tackling criminal activities and restoring peace in communities surrounding the national park.

According to the government, the affected local government areas are Oriire, Orelope, Irepo, Saki West, Saki East, Atisbo, Itesiwaju, Iseyin, Olorunsogo and Atiba.

The administration said the decision followed an assessment of the security situation in the region, particularly around the Old Oyo National Park, which has increasingly become a hotspot for criminal activities due to its vast forest terrain.

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The curfew is expected to provide security operatives with unrestricted access to carry out surveillance, intelligence gathering and coordinated operations aimed at flushing out criminal elements operating within the area.

The latest development comes amid heightened concerns over insecurity in Oyo State following the abduction of teachers and pupils from a public school in Oriire Local Government Area. Governor Makinde had earlier disclosed that intelligence reports indicated the victims were believed to be held within the expansive national park, prompting intensified rescue efforts by security agencies.

Officials say the restriction on movement is a preventive measure intended to enhance public safety while ongoing operations continue across the affected communities.

Residents have been urged to strictly comply with the curfew and cooperate with security personnel deployed to enforce the order. The government also appealed for calm, assuring citizens that every effort is being made to protect lives and property.

“The curfew takes effect from Wednesday, June 24, 2026, and will run between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. for 48 hours in the first instance,” the government stated, adding that the security situation will be reviewed before any decision is taken on extending or lifting the restriction.

The curfew is part of a broader security strategy introduced by the Makinde administration, which recently announced additional measures, including restrictions on overnight commercial motorcycle operations in parts of the state, to curb criminal activities and improve public safety.

Security agencies have been directed to ensure full enforcement of the order while allowing essential and emergency services to operate where necessary.

As residents adjust to the temporary restrictions, authorities have encouraged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements or activities to the appropriate security agencies.

Makinde Imposes 16-Hour Curfew in 10 Oyo LGAs as Security Operations Intensify

N8.7bn Money Laundering: Court Hears How Millions Passed Through Malami-Linked Account

• A Jaiz Bank compliance officer on Tuesday told the Federal High Court in Abuja how multi-million-naira transactions flowed through the account of Alkausar Farm, an entity linked to the alleged N8.7 billion money laundering case involving former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, his wife, and his son.

Munawwarah Salisu Anas, the 5th prosecution witness (PW5) in the ongoing trial of a former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, on Tuesday, detailed how several high-value transactions passed through the account of Alkausar Farm. Anas, a Compliance Officer with Jaiz Bank Plc, who gave the details during the former Minister’s trial before the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, said some transactions were done with Alkausar Farm’s account, one of the entities linked to the alleged N8.7 billion money laundering case involving Malami. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting the trio of Malami; his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe; and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, on a 16-count charge bordering on conspiracy, procuring, disguising, concealing and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities. The fund, according to the anti-graft agency in its charge sheet, was to the tune of N8.7bn (N8,713,923,759.49), contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The commission alleged that the money laundering schemes were carried out between 2015 and 2025 through multiple bank accounts, corporate entities and high-value property acquisitions. The bulk of the transactions allegedly occurred during Malami’s tenure as Attorney-General of the Federation under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration between 2015 and 2023.

At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, the prosecution counsel, J.S. Okutepa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, informed the court that the matter was slated for continuation of trial and called Anas to testify. Led in evidence by Okutepa, the witness told the court that as a compliance officer with Jaiz Bank, her responsibilities include interfacing with law enforcement agencies, including the EFCC. When asked whether she received any correspondence from the EFCC in the course of her duties, she answered in the affirmative and identified a letter from the Commission requesting account-related documents. According to her, the bank responded through a letter dated February 4, 2026, addressed to the Executive Chairman of the EFCC. Okutepa thereafter sought to tender the bank’s response and accompanying documents as evidence. The defence counsel, Adedayo Adedeji, also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, reserved his objection until the final written address. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik admitted the documents in evidence and marked them as Exhibit E Series. Explaining the contents of the exhibit, the witness stated, “Page one is the forwarding letter, page two is the certificate of identification, pages three to twenty-five are the account opening documents, while pages twenty-six to thirty are the statement of account of Alkausar Farm”.

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While reviewing the account statement before the court, Anas identified several inflows and outflows in the account that spanned from 2018 to 2020. On June 13, 2018, the account received a cash deposit of N1 million from Hassan Aliyu, and on June 20, 2018, it received another cash deposit of N2.25 million from Aliyu Mohammed. On December 7, 2018, the account received multiple inflows from Kalamu Wahid Global Concept, including transfers of N10 million each on four occasions and an additional transfer of N8 million on the same day. On December 18, 2018, the account recorded a debit transfer of N45.5 million to Donaliv Global Nigeria Limited. Continuing her testimony, Anas stated that the account received N26.25 million from Al-Afiya Energy Limited on July 13, 2020, and another N26.25 million from the same company on July 22, 2020. On July 24, 2020, the account recorded a transfer debit of N50 million to Sahad Stores Limited and another transfer debit of N1 million to Alfagai Jewelry Nigeria Limited. The witness also testified that on August 12, 2020, the account received a transfer credit of N2.03 million, adding that on the same day, a cheque withdrawal of N2.03 million was made by one Aliyu Mohammed Hassan. In total, the transactions detailed before the court amounted to over N200 million passing through the Alkausar Farm account within the period under review.

Under cross-examination by the defence counsel, the witness confirmed that she did not appear before the court pursuant to a subpoena. When asked whether she knew the purpose of the inflows and outflows reflected in the account statement, she responded, “Yes, we know because we monitor and report to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) if the transactions are suspicious”. During further cross-examination by defence lawyer Mr Adedeji, Anas said she was not the account officer responsible for the account and noted that Jaiz Bank has a chief compliance officer based in Abuja. The witness confirmed that none of the defendants in the case was a signatory to the account and that none of the inflows and outflows reflected in the account records originated from the Federal Ministry of Justice.

Between March and April, the prosecution presented its first four witnesses in the case. The first prosecution witness, David Ajoma, a compliance officer with Sterling Bank in Abuja, told the court that Metropolitan Autotech provided the cash collateral that backed the loan facility granted to Rayhaan Hotels Limited. The second prosecution witness, Daniel Kwayil, a compliance officer with Union Bank, tendered copies of the account opening package and statement of account of Meethaq Hotels Limited, noting that the sole signatory is Asabe Rakiya Bashir, Malami’s wife and co-defendant. The fourth prosecution witness, Mashelia Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank Plc, testified that funds moved through several entities including Rayhaan Hotels Limited, Rayhaan Bustan Agro Allied Limited, Nashab Limited, Golden Age Global Ventures, and Rahamaniyya Properties Limited.

Malami, his wife and son were re-arraigned on February 27 over the money laundering charges and pleaded not guilty. They were remanded in Kuje and Suleja Correctional Centres before their bail application was heard. Justice Abdulmalik, on March 6, admitted them to a N200 million bail each with two sureties each in like sum. The judge ordered that one of the sureties must deposit his or her title deeds of a landed property located at Maitama or Asokoro Districts of Abuja to the registrar of the court, and also directed the defendants to deposit their international passports with the court.

Beyond the corruption trial, Malami is facing forfeiture proceedings involving nearly N13 billion worth of assets seized from him as alleged proceeds of unlawful activities. In January 2026, a Federal High Court granted an interim forfeiture of 57 properties valued at N213.2 billion linked to Malami and two of his sons. The properties include a luxury duplex in Maitama, Abuja, valued at N5.95 billion; a two-winged storey building in Area 11, Garki, Abuja, valued at N7 billion; and Meethaq Hotels Ltd in Jabi, Abuja, valued at N8.4 billion, among other assets located in Abuja, Kebbi, Kano, and Kaduna States.

Following the conclusion of cross-examination and in the absence of any re-examination, the witness was discharged. Thereafter, Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter till July 17, 2026, for continuation of trial. The EFCC is expected to call more witnesses to establish its case against the former Attorney-General and his family members.

N8.7bn Money Laundering: Court Hears How Millions Passed Through Malami-Linked Account