Defense Headquarters dismissed alleged coup reports, insisting parade cancellation was administrative.
The Defence Headquarters has debunked claims linking the cancellation of Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary parade to an alleged coup attempt by military officers.
An online publication had reported that 16 officers, from Captain to Brigadier General, were arrested by the Defence Intelligence Agency for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government, insinuating that the parade cancellation was connected to the plot.
In a statement on Saturday, Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, described the report as “false, malicious, and intended to cause unnecessary tension and distrust among the populace.”
According to him, the decision to suspend Independence Day activities was “purely administrative,” to allow President Bola Tinubu attend a bilateral engagement abroad while troops focus on ongoing operations against insecurity.
On the detained officers, Gusau clarified that the matter was “a routine internal process aimed at ensuring discipline and professionalism.”
He reaffirmed that “The Armed Forces of Nigeria remain firmly loyal to the Constitution… Democracy is forever.”