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“I Was Told To Switch Off Presidential Villa Power To Enable Coup” — Umoru.
A suspected coup plotter, Zekeri Umoru, has alleged that discussions took place about shutting down electricity supply to the Presidential Villa in Abuja as part of efforts to facilitate an alleged coup attempt.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
reports that Umoru, an employee of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc in the Maintenance Department at the Presidential Villa, made the claim in a video presented on Wednesday before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The video was shown during a trial-within-trial in the case filed by the Federal Government against six defendants facing charges of treason, terrorism, and related offences.
In the footage, Umoru, who is the fourth defendant, was seen being questioned by members of the Special Investigative Panel that initially handled the investigation.
He stated that he warned that any attempt to cut off electricity to the Presidential Villa would likely trigger an investigation and could lead to the arrest of workers on duty.
Umoru also denied having access to the Villa’s solar power facility, despite allegations that he was involved in plans to disrupt power supply within the complex.
He further claimed he became uncomfortable with the alleged plan, stressing that gaining access to the Presidential Villa “was not a child’s play.”
Alleged Recruitment Plot
Umoru alleged that Col. Mohammed Ma’aji, identified as the alleged mastermind of the plot, offered him money through Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, the third defendant, to recruit about 18 to 19 insiders working within the Villa.
He said those targeted for recruitment included soldiers, DSS personnel, and Julius Berger staff working at the facility.
According to him, Ma’aji allegedly insisted on gaining access to the Villa and suggested that force would be used if insiders refused to cooperate.
Umoru also claimed that Ibrahim later demanded ₦100 million from Ma’aji to facilitate entry into the Villa through an ambulance route, but the proposal was rejected as too expensive.
He added that Ma’aji allegedly insisted he could still force his way into the Presidential Villa, even if it resulted in bloodshed.
Umoru further stated that he later attempted to return money allegedly given to him after becoming uneasy about the plan.
Why He Did Not Report The Plot
When questioned on why he failed to report the alleged discussions, Umoru claimed he was discouraged by Inspector Ibrahim.
He alleged that Ibrahim instructed him to delete messages and avoid contacting Ma’aji due to an ongoing audit within their workplace.
Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the case until May 21 for continuation of the trial-within-trial, which is aimed at determining whether the defendants’ statements were made voluntarily.
The Federal Government, through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, had arraigned the six defendants on a 13-count charge of treason, terrorism, failure to disclose security intelligence, and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.
The defendants include retired Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, Capt. Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, Insp. Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukr Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani, while former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, is listed as being at large.
The National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Nenadi Usman, has confirmed that the party will present a presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, with three aspirants already having purchased nomination forms.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
She made the disclosure on Thursday during an interview with journalists in Abuja shortly after the screening of aspirants for various elective positions.
According to her, while multiple aspirants have shown interest, the party is working towards achieving a consensus candidate for the presidential race.
Usman maintained that the Labour Party remains strong and united despite ongoing internal disputes and controversies surrounding the sale of nomination forms.
She also confirmed that the party has zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the southern region of the country.
In her words, “We have decided as a party that our next flag bearer should come from the South. We are hoping for consensus, but whoever emerges will go through a thorough screening process. I assure Nigerians the primaries will be free and fair.”
She added that the screening exercise for aspirants across various offices is progressing smoothly and has so far been successful.
Usman further dismissed claims that the party is weakened by internal disagreements, insisting that the level of interest from aspirants shows Labour Party remains a strong platform.
She also expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would uphold its earlier position on the party’s leadership dispute.
On concerns about fake nomination forms, she warned members and the public to be cautious, noting that some fraudulent forms were being circulated by unauthorized individuals.
She said, “One man came here and showed me a form his wife bought, and it was not the form issued by us. People are being deceived, and that is not right.”
Responding to concerns about the strength of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), she stated that political power ultimately rests with God and the Nigerian electorate.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Screening Committee for Rivers State has declared Kingsley Chinda as the party’s governorship candidate following the conclusion of its primary election exercise in the state.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Reports indicate that Chinda was announced the winner on Thursday evening at the APC secretariat after votes were collated from wards across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State.
Declaring the result, the Chairman of the Screening Committee, Bitrus Kwamoti, said Chinda secured a total of 268,497 votes to clinch the ticket.
Kwamoti described the exercise as peaceful and well-conducted, noting that party members demonstrated discipline throughout the process, with no major incidents recorded.
The announcement came shortly after the withdrawal of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, from the APC governorship primary scheduled for Thursday.
Fubara had earlier announced his decision in a personally signed statement, saying it followed extensive consultations with family, friends, and political associates, while pledging support for whoever emerged as the party’s flagbearer.
Another aspirant, Tonye Cole, also stepped down from the race, citing the need to prioritise peace, reconciliation, and party unity.
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Nigeria Brace For Tough Road As 2026 U-17 Women’s World Cup Opponents Emerge Ahead Of Qualifier.
Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team, the Flamingos, have been handed a clearer picture of what awaits them at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco following Thursday’s official draw in Zurich.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
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