An employee of Julius Berger attached to the maintenance unit of Presidential Villa, Zekari Umoru says he was misled in collecting the sum of N8.8m from Col, Mohammed Ma’aji,whom he thought was a civilian businessman
Umoru,is one of the six defendants standing trial over an alleged plot to topple the Bola Tinubu administration
He made the claim in a video recording of his extra-judicial statement, which was played on Tuesday before Joyce Abdulmalik, a judge of the federal high court in Abuja.
Umoru said his involvement with some of the accused persons began in May 2025 through Ahmed Ibrahim, the third defendant who is a police inspector attached to the presidential clinic.
According to him ,Ibrahim introduced him to a man identified as Hassan Mohammed — who he later came to know as “Col. Mohammed Ma’aji” — to help him secure electrical jobs at a building construction site.
The fourth defendant told investigators that he initially believed Ma’aji was a civilian businessman because money transfers sent to him bore the name Hassan Mohammed.
He said Ma’aji repeatedly gave him money, sometimes in Ibrahim’s presence.
Narrating the circumstances In the video, Umoru recounted several meetings with Ma’aji and another associate identified as Usman, whom he later discovered was a military officer.
He said during one of the meetings at a place identified as “Tiger Bar”, Ma’aji bought drinks and asked questions about their professions before doling out between N100,000 and N120,000 to him and others present.
Umoru further told investigators that on September 24, 2025, Ma’aji allegedly handed him a ‘Ghana-Must-Go’ bag filled with cash.
He said he deposited the money at a Zenith Bank branch, where it was counted and confirmed to be N8.8 million.
He explained that he and Ibrahim met Ma’aji again the following day, with another N2 million handed over, with Ibrahim expected to brief him later on what the money was for.
The defendant said he eventually became suspicious about the repeated cash payments and confronted Ibrahim for clarification.
He alleged that Ibrahim told him Ma’aji was unhappy with the state of the country and planned to “sanitise the government” with the support of unnamed associates described as “boys”.
Umoru also alleged that Ibrahim mentioned a plan involving an ambulance driver who could help facilitate access into the presidential villa in anticipation of financial rewards.
Umoru however maintained that he had no knowledge of any concrete plan to overthrow the government and insisted that he was misled.
He also narrated how he once helped Usman into the presidential villa, adding that security personnel allowed them entry after he informed them that the visitor was there to see him.
The defendant said he later found Usman taking photographs inside his office and warned him to stop.
Throughout the video evidence, the defendant denied being part of any coup plot and insisted that Ibrahim deceived him.
He added that he would have distanced himself from Ma’aji if he had known that Ma’aji was a military officer or was allegedly involved in activities to oust the president.
Umoru also apologised to his employers and expressed support for Tinubu’s administration.
The federal government, through the office of the attorney-general of the federation, is prosecuting six suspects over an alleged plot to overthrow the Tinubu-led federal government.
The defendants in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026 include Umoru; Ibrahim, Mohammed Gana, a retired captain; Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, a retired navy captain; Bukar Kashim Goni and Abdulkadir Sani.
They were arraigned on 13 counts before the court on April 22.2026.
Treason Trial Alleged Coup plotter admits Receiving N8.8m Cash From plot Mastermind
