Defence Headquarters dismisses reports of a coup plot against President Tinubu, reaffirms loyalty and commitment to Nigeria’s democracy.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has strongly dismissed reports claiming that some senior military officers were detained over an alleged coup plot to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement made available to The ICIR on Saturday, October 18, the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, described the claim as entirely false and misleading.
Gusau clarified that while some officers were indeed arrested weeks ago, their detention had nothing to do with any coup attempt. He explained that the earlier press release from the Armed Forces did not, at any point, suggest that the affected officers were under investigation for planning to topple the government.
“We issued a press release on this weeks ago, and we never mentioned that officers were arrested for a coup,” Gusau stated.
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The clarification followed viral online reports alleging that sixteen senior officers were being held by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) for allegedly plotting to overthrow the Tinubu-led administration a report that also linked the supposed plot to the cancellation of Nigeria’s Independence Day parade on October 1.
However, the Defence Headquarters, in its earlier statement dated October 4, explained that the officers were apprehended for “indiscipline and breach of service regulations” during a routine military exercise — not for political reasons.
According to Gusau, investigations revealed that some of the officers’ actions stemmed from career frustrations and repeated failures in promotion examinations. He further noted that the military was already taking appropriate disciplinary measures in line with established service protocols.
“Their conduct was deemed incompatible with the standards of military service. Upon completion of investigations, indicted officers will face the full military disciplinary process,” the statement read.
The DHQ emphasized that the arrests were purely internal disciplinary actions aimed at maintaining professionalism, integrity, and order within the ranks.
Reaffirming its unwavering commitment to constitutional democracy, the Defence Headquarters assured Nigerians that the Armed Forces remain professional, loyal, and fully dedicated to safeguarding the nation’s stability and democratic governance.
“The Armed Forces will not tolerate any behaviour that undermines its integrity or threatens Nigeria’s democratic authority,” the statement concluded.