The Defence Headquarters has refuted claims made by an online media organisation suggesting that the Presidential Guards Brigade is on high alert due to fears of a coup plot.
News About Nigeria reports that the statement came in response to an article published on February 25, 2024, which alleged unusual activities leading to suspicions of a coup plot in Nigeria.
Brigadier Gen. Tukur Gusau, the Acting Director of Defence Information, issued a statement dismissing the allegations as ‘malicious and unfounded’.
He clarified that the Guards Brigade has always been on high alert as part of its statutory responsibility to protect the seat of power, including the Presidency, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and its surroundings.
“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,” the statement read in part.
The Defence Headquarters said that the claims about an emergency meeting involving President Bola Tinubu, the Chief of Staff to the President, and the Commander of the Guards Brigade were entirely false.
Condemning the allegations as a product of imagination, the Defence Headquarters urged the public to disregard the unfounded assertions.
Additionally, the Defence Headquarters called on relevant security agencies to take appropriate action against Sahara Reporters, the media outlet behind the report, for what they described as an 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.”
