Islamic cleric Sheikh Abdulkadir Sani testified before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday that he warned a group of alleged coup plotters that their scheme to unseat President Bola Tinubu would collapse. The testimony formed part of the ongoing trial of the alleged conspirators.
Sani, a cleric based in Kaduna, said he was approached through an intermediary identified only as “Sanda” and asked to provide spiritual support for the purported operation. He confirmed that the group transferred money to him, but insisted the funds were intended solely for prayers and charitable purposes, not for financing a coup.
After performing the prayers, the cleric told the participants that the plan was doomed because internal betrayals would expose the plot. “I told them the plan would fail because they would be exposed from within,” he told the court, as recorded in the video evidence presented by the prosecution.
The cleric also said he received a list of names of the alleged participants, which he used in his prayers and subsequently submitted to the court as part of his evidence.
Legal analysts note that Sani’s testimony underscores the prosecutors’ effort to demonstrate that the accused sought external assistance, even if only spiritual, to further their alleged agenda. The court has not yet ruled on the credibility of the cleric’s statements or on the extent of his involvement.
The case remains a high‑profile test of Nigeria’s security institutions as they confront accusations of a coordinated attempt to destabilise the government. The trial is expected to continue over the coming weeks, with further witnesses slated to appear. The outcome will likely influence public perception of the administration’s handling of internal threats and its broader approach to national security.
