The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed as false and misleading, reports circulating online that linked the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day parade to an alleged attempted military coup.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, described the rumours as “malicious fabrications designed to create panic and distrust within the country.”
According to Gusau, the cancellation of this year’s Independence Day parade was purely a matter of logistics and scheduling, occasioned by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s engagement in a high-level bilateral meeting outside the country. He further explained that the decision also allows the Armed Forces to sustain operational focus in ongoing military campaigns against terrorism, insurgency, and banditry across the nation.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to categorically state that the claims by the said publication are entirely false. There was no mention of any coup attempt in any of our communications. The intent of the false report is clearly to sow fear and disaffection among citizens,” the statement read.
Addressing reports of the arrest of sixteen military officers cited in the rumour, the DHQ clarified that the arrests had nothing to do with any alleged coup plot. The officers, it said, were apprehended over issues of professional misconduct and are currently undergoing internal disciplinary proceedings.
An investigative panel, according to the Defence Headquarters, has been set up to look into the matter, and the outcome will be made public once the process is concluded.
Reiterating the Armed Forces’ unwavering commitment to democratic governance, the statement stressed that the military remains loyal to the Constitution and the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria remains firmly loyal to the Constitution and the Federal Government under the leadership of the Commander-in-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR,” it stated.
The DHQ therefore urged Nigerians to disregard the “baseless online publication” and continue to support the nation’s security agencies in their ongoing efforts to ensure peace and stability.
“Democracy is forever,” the statement concluded.
