The Nigeria Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has denied placing the Presidential Guards Brigade on high alert over suspicion of a coup plot in Nigeria.
DHQ in a statement released on Monday 26th February 2024, DHQ Acting Director Defence Information Brigadier General Turkur Gusau described the 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 as malicious and unfounded.
“The publication also asserted amongst other things that 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.
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 condemns this unsubstantiated assertion which is just a figment of the imagination of the publisher, and enjoins members of the public to disregard it.
Furthermore, the Defence Headquarters calls on relevant 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,” DHQ said.