Nigerian Army denies claim of coup plot against Buhari

Nigerian Army denies claim of coup plot against Buhari

Thursday, June 23, 2016 8:32 am


Acting-Director-Army-Public-Relations-Col_-Sani-Usman-

Acting-Director-Army-Public-Relations-Col_-Sani-Usman-

Nigerian Army has described claim by a group which identified itself as Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF) that some military Generals are planning to overthrow President Muhammadu Buhari as false and a “declaration of war to destabilise the present government by unscrupulous elements.”
“The Nigerian Army wish to state that this is not true and hereby distanced itself from this weighty allegation,” Colonel Sani Usman, acting director, Army Public Relations said emphatically in terse statement disputing the claim of the group.

In the statement issued early Thursday, the Army also described the speculation of coup as “a declaration of war to destabilise the present government by these unscrupulous elements.

“The Nigerian Army is investigating those behind the dangerous insinuation in order to unravel the real motive behind it,” Colonel Usman added.

Read his full statement below:

WARNING TO MISCHIEF MAKERS: NOBODY IS PLANNING ANY COUP

“The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to another campaign of calumny and distraction by faceless criminal gang of economic saboteurs that hide under the aegis of Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF) alleging that some officers of the Nigerian Army approached them for support to overthrow our duly elected present democratic government.

“We also see this speculation as a dangerous distraction to our effort in fighting insurgency and other criminal elements in the country.

“The Nigerian Army would like to send a strong and an unequivocal warning to those speculating a coup by the Nigerian Army (NA) against the Government to desist forthwith.

“We would like state in clear terms that that we are a product of democracy and a focused professional institution and would have nothing to do with such abomination and heinous crime.

“We wish to state further that the NA is the greatest beneficiary of democracy and therefore cannot ever contemplate any anti-democratic misadventure, certainly not under the command of the present Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai.

“Rather, we see this type of dangerous speculation as a declaration of war to destabilise the present government by these unscrupulous elements.

“The Nigerian Army is investigating those behind the dangerous insinuation in order to unravel the real motive behind it.

“We would like to reiterate our unalloyed oyalty to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and defence of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We would also like to reaffirm our unconditional support and obedience to civil authority.

“We wish to further assure Nigerians and indeed all peace loving people that the Nigerian Army and indeed its personnel will never be involved in such terrible misadventure.

“We wish to further add that no matter how long it takes, we would track and find out those behind these insinuations and bring them to justice.”

JNDLF recently made futile threats to launch missile attacks against Aso Rock presidential villa and other key facilities in different parts of Nigeria.

The group, had also in a statement yesterday claimed top military officers approach it to held overthrow the Buhari government by sustaining ongoing attacks on oil installation across the Niger Delta.

The group claimed the “coup plotters” whose names it did not disclose said they wanted to use sustained attacks on oil facilities as a reason to take over the government.

The statement was signed by persons who identified themselves as ‘General’ Torunanaowei Latei (Creek Network Coordinator); ‘General’ Agbakakuro Owei-Tauro (Pipeline Bleeding Expert); ‘General’ Akotebe Darikoro (Commander, General Duties) and ‘General’ Pulokiri Ebikade (Intelligence Bureau).


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