Nigeria’s army denies coup plot report

By Ibrahim Garba Shuaibu

KANO, Nigeria (AA) - The Nigerian army on Monday denied report of an alleged coup plot, saying the "allegation is totally false" and announced to take measures for the "unpatriotic action."

Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Tukur Gusau in a statement referred to a Sunday report by the Sahara Reporters news outlet, which claimed that the elite Guards Brigade had been put on high alert following unusual movements, leading to suspicion of a coup plot in Nigeria.

The publication said the suspicion prompted an 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," Gusau said in a statement.

The statement said Chief of Defense Staff en. Christopher Musa OFR has in various fora "reiterated the unalloyed commitment of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to the protection and sustenance of democracy in Nigeria," and therefore, the Defense Headquarters "strongly condemns this unsubstantiated assertion which is just a figment of imagination of the publisher and enjoins members of the public to disregard it."

It called on the relevant security agencies to immediately take appropriate action against Sahara Reporters for this "unpatriotic action."

The Defense Headquarters, it added, "will seek legal redress on the issue which has the ulterior motive of creating unnecessary tension in the country."