ABUJA, Nigeria — In a high-stakes legal proceeding that underscores the stability of Nigeria’s democratic system, six individuals charged with conspiring to overthrow President Bola Tinubu appeared in federal court this Wednesday to face multiple counts of treason and terrorism. All six defendants formally entered not guilty pleas across all 13 criminal charges, which were officially made public a day earlier on Tuesday. The accused have been held in the custody of Nigeria’s secret police for several months following their arrest after the coup plot was uncovered. Among the six detainees are a retired army major general and an active-duty police inspector, revealing the alleged plot’s connections to current and former Nigerian security personnel. Authorities also named a seventh co-conspirator: Timipre Sylva, the former governor of Bayelsa State, who faces allegations of aiding the group by concealing their plans. As of Wednesday’s court session, Sylva remains at large and has not been taken into custody. Following the initial arraignment, the presiding judge adjourned proceedings until April 27, when the court is scheduled to review and hear arguments on bail applications filed by the defense teams for the six detained suspects. The official charge sheet details that the defendants “conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overawe the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” laying out the core of the treason allegations against the group. Nigerian federal authorities first publicly announced they had foiled the attempted coup back in January, when officials confirmed that a number of military personnel would face trial for their alleged involvement. If the plot had succeeded, it would have brought an end to nearly 30 years of uninterrupted democratic governance in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, which transitioned back to democratic rule back in 1999 after decades of military dictatorship.