- Warns proponents to stay away
The Nigeria Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says the Military cannot be pressurised to take over a democratically elected government in whatever form and advised those calling for coup in the country citing poor welfare in the military to steer clear.
The warning came amid calls on the Military to overthrow Bola Tinubu’s administration. Just as the coupists did in neighbouring Niger Republic.
But the Defence Headquarters who confirmed receiving requests from unnamed persons to overthrow President Tinubu’s administration said the military is happy and better under democracy and wished to remain subordinated to the hard earned democracy in the country.
Describing those instigating military take over in Nigeria as “Unpatriotic and Wicked, the DHQ said the military will not be distracted from performing its statutory roles as enshrined in the 1999 constitution.
Making the clarification in a statement via the DHQ Twitter account @ DefenceInfoNG on Saturday,Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau said “…we detest any attempt by any individual or group to instigate the law abiding Armed Forces of Nigeria to embark on any unconstitutional change of government in our country. We wish to state unequivocally that the military is happy and better under democracy and Will not get involved in any act to sabotage the hard-earned democracy in our country.
“The AFN under the leadership of the Chief of Defence Staff, General CG Musa is determined to ensure complete subordination of the Armed Forces to constitutional authority under His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and will not be distracted from its roles that are well defined in the 1999 constitution (as amended),” .
The development comes two days after the Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS renewed its resolution on sanctions and military action on Niger Republic following failure of diplomatic options.
Recall that on July 26, 2023, a group of soldiers led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani, the then leader of the Presidential Guards, overthrew the democratic government of President Mohamed Bazoum .
The coupists put the president, his family and other government officials under arrest and reportedly subjected them to various forms of inhumane treatment.
Worried by the recurring emergence of coups in the subregion and its setback for the development of the region, the ECOWAS took a stand on July 30 for immediate restoration of democratic order in Niger. This it reiterated and upheld during its second extraordinary meeting in Abuja on August 10.
