Alleged coup plot: FG to arraign Timipre Sylva’s younger brother, others in Abuja

Paganengigha Anagha, the younger brother of former Minister of Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, who has been linked with an alleged 2025 coup plot against President Bola Tinubu, is expected to be arraigned today at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

He will be standing trial alongside Sylva’s driver, Musa Mohammed, a plainclothes police officer, Ayuba Reuben, and an escort driver, Friday Lusa Paul.

The group is being brought before the court over undisclosed charges, as full details of the allegations have not yet been made public.

However, sources from the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice confirmed that the arraignment is scheduled to hold today, April 14, at Court 12, stating that “the arraignment will hold today, April 14 at Court 12”.

The former Governor of Bayelsa State and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, had last year been linked to an alleged failed coup plot designed to topple the government of President Tinubu in late 2025.

Sylva currently in the United Kingdom was said to be a primary financier of the alleged plot and was on February 24 alleged to have pumped between N785 million to N46 billion traced to his bank accounts into the coup attempt.

The coup attempt allegations got to the peak when in late October 2025, soldiers and Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) operatives reportedly raided Sylva’s residences in Abuja and Bayelsa, arresting the younger brother, Paga, and his driver and hauled them into detention.

Sylva, who was said to be in abroad at the time of the raids, reportedly fled from one country to another especially, Senegal and later Argentina to avoid arrest.

The alleged coup was later connected to the detention of about 16 military officers suspected to have held series of meetings in secret to overthrow the civilian administration.

In a quick reaction to the widespread allegations, Sylva’s media aide, Mr Julius Bokoru, issued a statement in which he denied the accusations and holding that they were politically motivated.

Bokoru also blamed coup plot attempt on politicians seeking to ruin Sylva before the 2027 general elections.

The aide while absolving his principal insisted that Sylva was a democrat and not coup plotter and remained a supporter of President Tinubu like any other patriotic Nigerian.

“Chief Timipre Sylva has no involvement whatsoever, either in planning or logistics with any such plot.

“He is a thoroughbred democrat whose political career remains clear to all Nigerians,” he said.

Sylva’s aide had insisted that his principal was undergoing medical treatment abroad along with his wife.

However, following the coup allegations, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared Sylva wanted in November 2025 regarding a separate $14.8 million fraud investigation.

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