Journalists were on Sunday barred from covering the trial of six persons accused of plotting to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu, as Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja excluded members of the press from the courtroom.
Gatekeepers News reports that some journalists had arrived shortly after 8 a.m. and taken seats at the back of the courtroom ahead of proceedings. But moments before the sitting began, a court official announced that anyone without a seat should leave, saying the judge would not permit loitering during proceedings.
As lawyers and other attendees without seats began to exit, another court official, accompanied by a security operative, approached journalists who were already seated and ordered them to leave the courtroom.
When asked why the media was being singled out, the officials said they were acting on the directive of the presiding judge, who had ordered that journalists should not be allowed inside.
The journalists objected, arguing that the matter was of public interest and that no formal court order had excluded the media from covering the proceedings. However, the officials insisted they were carrying out the judge’s instructions.
Shortly after the journalists left, the courtroom doors were locked.
Minutes later, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, arrived at about 10:35 a.m. and proceeded to Court 6, where the trial was taking place.
The development comes months after Justice Abdulmalik similarly ordered a reporter with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) out of her courtroom during proceedings in two suits involving factions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
On that occasion, the judge asked the reporter to identify himself and directed him to leave after he said he was a journalist and had no seat.
The federal government, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, is prosecuting six suspects over an alleged coup plot.
The defendants — Gana; retired navy captain Erasmus Ochegobia Victor; serving police inspector Ahmed Ibrahim; Zekeri Umoru; Bukar Kashim Goni; and Abdulkadir Sani — were arraigned on Wednesday on a 13-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026.
The court ordered their remand in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) and fixed April 27 for the commencement of accelerated hearing.
Although former Bayelsa State governor Timipre Sylva was mentioned in the charge, he is reportedly at large.
