The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed the rumours of a possible coup d’etat in Nigeria, saying that the military has no intention of taking over the government.
The DHQ made this clarification in a statement issued, on Friday, by its Director of Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau.
The statement was in response to some recent calls from some quarters for the military to intervene in the country’s democracy, citing welfare issues and security challenges.
The Defence Headquarters described these calls as ‘highly unpatriotic, wicked, and an attempt to distract the military from its constitutional duties’.
The statement assured Nigerians that the Armed Forces of Nigeria were happy and better under democracy and would not get involved in any act to sabotage the hard-earned democracy in the country.
It also pledged the loyalty of the military under the leadership of the Chief of Defence Staff, General CG Musa, to President Bola Tinubu and his administration.
The statement read in part, “The Defence Headquarters frown at a report being circulated online about welfare issues in the Armed Forces of Nigeria. The report’s call on the military to interfere in our democracy is highly unpatriotic, wicked, and an attempt to distract the Armed Forces of Nigeria from performing its constitutional responsibilities.
“While the leadership of the AFN gives priority to welfare of its personnel however, we detest any attempt by any individual or group to instigate the law-abiding Armed Forces of Nigeria to embark on any unconstitutional change of government in our country.
“We wish to state unequivocally that the military is happy and better under democracy and will not get involved in any act to sabotage the hard-earned democracy in our country.
“The AFN under the leadership of the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. CG Musa is determined to ensure complete subordination of the Armed Forces to constitutional authority under His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and will not be distracted from its roles that are well defined in the 1999 constitution (as amended).