The Federal High Court in Abuja has admitted statements and video recordings made by six alleged coup plotters, dismissing their objections regarding the evidence's admissibility. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ruled on Thursday that the confessions were made voluntarily during military interrogations, rejecting claims of duress from the defendants.

The defendants, including retired Major General Mohammed Gana and retired Navy Captain Erasmus Victor, are facing serious charges, including treason and terrorism, linked to an alleged plot to violently overthrow President Bola Tinubu's government. The court's ruling came after a trial-within-trial was conducted to assess the validity of the defendants' claims that their statements were obtained under coercion.

Justice Abdulmalik stated that there was no credible evidence to support the allegations of torture or undue influence during the interrogation process. She characterized the defendants' claims as an afterthought, asserting that they were not believable. The judge emphasized that the prosecution had adequately demonstrated that the statements and video recordings were made without any form of duress.

The case against the six defendants was brought forth by the Federal Government, which filed a 13-count charge against them on April 20. The charges include failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing. The defendants were arraigned on April 22, with the trial gaining significant attention due to the serious nature of the allegations.

During the proceedings, the prosecution presented several witnesses, including an army officer identified only by the codename “AAA,” who provided video evidence of the defendants' interrogations. Following the objections raised by the defense regarding the admissibility of this evidence, Justice Abdulmalik ordered the trial-within-trial to ascertain the circumstances under which the statements were made.

With the evidence now admitted, the court has scheduled the continuation of the trial for December 7 and 10, marking a significant step in the legal proceedings against the alleged coup plotters. The outcome of this trial could have far-reaching implications given the severity of the charges and the political context surrounding the case.