The judge fixed July 22 for commencement of trial.
A court gavel
The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned five Nigerians at the Federal High Court in Abuja on alleged concealment of information on the whereabouts of a governor of Bayelsa State, Timiprey Silva.
Silva, a former minister, is alleged to be the mastermind of the coup attempt against President Bola Tinubu.
They were arraigned on Wednesday before Justice Peter Lifu.
A two-count charge slammed against them indicated that the accused persons on April 28, 2026, became accessories after the fact of felony by concealing the whereabouts of Silva, alleged to be a fugitive of the law.
The alleged offence is said to be contrary to Section 519 of the Criminal Code Act, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The DSS also accused them of conspiracy to commit a felony, to wit: concealing the whereabouts of Timiprey Silva, who is a fugitive of the law, contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code LFN, 2004.
However, all the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges when read to them.
DSS lawyer, Emmanuel Orubor, asked the Judge to give a date for the DSS to open their trial by calling witnesses to testify against them.
However, Sunusi Musa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN who stood for the first and fourth accused persons, moved an application for bail of his clients on various grounds.
Similar applications were also canvassed by Ibrahim Imadegbelo, who represented the second accused person, and I. G Kelubia, who stood for the third defendant, and E. C Sogo, who argued for the fifth accused person.
The lawyers drew the attention of Justice Lifu to the fact that their clients have been in the custody since October 25, 2025 and urged the Court to admit them to bail on liberal terms.
In a brief ruling, Justice Lifu admitted them to bail in the sum of N5 million each and two sureties each in the like sum.
The sureties are to swear to affidavit of means, show evidence of three years tax payment, show evidence of visible means of livelihood and deposit their recent passport photographs.
Justice Lifu ordered that the claims of identity of the sureties must be verified by the Registrar of the Court.
Pending the perfection of the bail conditions, the Judge ordered that the accused persons be reminded in Kuje prison.
The judge fixed July 22 for commencement of trial.
