Nigeria: Army denies report of coup
The Nigerian army has issued a rare statement denying reports of an alleged coup plot within its ranks.
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The Nigerian Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said the suggestion was categorically false and called on the public to ignore it.
The statement follows a report from the Sahara Reporters news site that the Presidential Guard, an elite military unit responsible for protecting the president, had been mobilised because of the suspected coup.
The report alleged that emergency meetings had been held with the Nigerian president.
In response to the article, DHQ said its full commitment was to protecting and sustaining democracy in Nigeria.
The West African country is currently suffering a punishing economic crisis, with some warning the country is at tipping point.
Read the entire statement below;
DHQ REFUTES ALLEGATION OF GUARDS BRIGADE PLACED ON HIGH ALERT OVER SUSPICION OF COUP PLOT IN NIGERIA
The attention of the Defence Headquarters @DefenceInfoNG has been drawn to a malicious and unfounded article published online by SaharaReporters on 25 February 2024 claiming that the Guards Brigade has been put on high alert following unusual movements, leading to suspicion of a coup plot in Nigeria. The publication also asserted amongst other things that the suspicion prompted emergency meeting involving President Bola Tinubu, the Chief of Staff to the President and Commander of the Guards Brigade.
The Defence Headquarters wishes to categorically state that the allegation is totally false. For the avoidance of doubt, the Guards Brigade has been statutorily assigned the responsibility of protecting the seat of power (The Presidency) and by extension the Federal Capital Territory and its environs. Hence, it is to be noted that the Guards Brigade has always been on high alert in order to effectively executive its assigned tasks.
It will be recalled that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa OFR had in various fora reiterated the unalloyed commitment of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to the protection and sustenance of democracy in Nigeria. Therefore, the Defence Headquarters strongly condemn this unsubstantiated assertion which is just a figment of imagination of the publisher and enjoins members of the public to disregard it.
Furthermore, the Defence Headquarters calls on relavant security agencies to immediately take appropriate action against the Sahara Reporters for this unpatriotic action. Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters will seek legal redress on the issue which has the ulterior motive of creating unnecessary tension in the country.
TUKUR GUSAU
Brigadier General
25 February2024
Acting Director Defence Information
