The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has refuted false claims of a military coup d’état reported by an online platform on Sunday, February 25. Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, the Acting Director of Defence Information, clarified this in a statement on Monday.
Gusau stated that the Guards Brigade, responsible for protecting the Presidency and the Federal Capital Territory, remains on high alert for its duties.
The DHQ condemned any attempts to instigate the Armed Forces to engage in unconstitutional actions and will seek legal action against the online platform for spreading discord.
The statement reads: ” “@DefenceInfoNG has been drawn to a malicious and unfounded 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.
“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 execute its assigned tasks.”
The Defence Headquarters denounces this false claim and calls for appropriate action against Sahara Reporters for spreading falsehoods.