THE Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned five men before a Federal High Court in Abuja over their alleged failure to disclose the whereabouts of a former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva.
Those arraigned on Wednesday, July 1, on a two-count charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/299/2026, before Justice Peter Lifu, were Reuben Ayuba, Musa Mohammed, Friday Paul, Paganengigha Anagaha and Ayebaifie Suobite.
They pleaded not guilty.
Thereafter, the prosecution Counsel, E.G. Orubor, urged the court to adjourn for the commencement of trial, while defence Counsel, Sunusi Musa (SAN), moved applications for bail.
Justice Lifu granted the defendants bail at N5million each, with two sureties, who must be residents of Abuja and provide their tax clearance certificates.
The Judge adjourned until July 22 for the commencement of trial and ordered the remand of the defendants in Kuje Prison until they meet the bail conditions.
Count one alleged that the defendants, on or about April 28, in Abuja, became “accessories after the fact of felony by concealing the whereabouts of Sylva, who is a fugitive of the law,” contrary to Section 519 of the Criminal Code Act.
In count two, they are alleged to have conspired to commit a felony by concealing the whereabouts of Sylva, who is a fugitive of the law, contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act LFN, 2004.
The defendants, who were arrested last year, had filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit, demanding that they be either released or arraigned in court, describing themselves as domestic workers and aides to Sylva.
Anagaha’s wife, Preye stated, in a supporting affidavit, that DSS operatives arrested her husband and others on October 25, last year, at Sylva’s house in Maitama, Abuja.
Anagaha, who described her husband as “a domestic staff member” to Sylva, stated that “when Sylva was not found at the residence, the operatives arrested three aide and domestic workers, including my husband.”
Sylva was mentioned in the charge filed by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) against six men currently being prosecuted before a Federal High Court in Abuja over the alleged coup plot against the President Bola Tinubu.
Although he is not named as a defendant in the 13-count charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/206/2026, but he was described in some of the counts as “still at large.”
The six facing trial over the alleged coup are Maj-Gen. Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (rtd), Navy Capt. Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (rtd), Police Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Abdulkadir Sani.
