Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday approved an accelerated hearing in the trial of six individuals accused of plotting to overthrow the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The court fixed April 29, April 30, May 4, and May 5 for the commencement of trial proceedings, which will also include the hearing of bail applications filed by the defendants.
During the session, the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, informed the court that the prosecution was prepared to proceed, noting that witnesses were available, subject to the court’s schedule.
Counsel to the first defendant, Mohammed Ilayepo, indicated readiness to move his client’s bail application. However, Justice Abdulmalik ruled that trial proceedings would take precedence over bail considerations.
Lawyers representing the second, third, and sixth defendants—Paul Erokoro, A.I. Yeru, and N.S. Diri—raised concerns about their preparedness, citing limited time to study the case and its complexity.
In response, the court directed all parties to agree on dates that would facilitate a speedy trial, subsequently confirming the scheduled dates for accelerated proceedings.
