Army denies alleged plans to topple Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari inspecting military guards of honour on arrival at Abuja from London on June 19, 2016. PHOTO: PHILIP OJISUA
The Nigeria Army Thursday said none of its men or officers was planning to topple the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“This is baseless and most unfortunate allegation that existed in the warped minds of the originators of such weighty allegation,” said the acting director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman. “The Nigerian Army wish to state that this is not true and hereby distanced itself from this weighty allegation.”
The Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force, NDLF, a group of Niger delta militants had alleged, in a statement, that some army officers have contacted militants on plans to overthrow the government.
But Usman said the army has thrived better in democracy, saying it “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, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai.”
“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.”
While reiterating the Army’s loyalty to and support for the President, the army spokesman said the Nigerian Army was investigating those behind the ‘dangerous insinuation’ in order to unravel the real motive behind it.
“We would like to reiterate our unalloyed loyalty 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,” Usman said.
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5 Comments
What a dreadful, horrendous and despicable scare this is whoever has peddled it; leads me to that reason why you must hurry to plug up all the loopholes – all the areas left open-ended in your Constitution regarding coups, corruption and cross-carpet or defections so that Nigerian leaders and the followers will, for the first time, look serious minded people! Coup scare indeed, and you wonder we are still grappling to date with the consequences of that by IBB and S. Abacha – considered as bridge to nowhere, folks! 500 Naira to £1.00 and 289 to 1$ – look why not make attempt for such crimes a treasonable felony case and mean it so that even if they succeed in the act the ordinary citizens can decide to soot at the ring leaders since the one we had already has not solved any problems in Nigeria! I mean with this useless rumor peddled whoever by, I suspect a lot of pensioners will die out of the shock that they will (may) not now get their pension entitlements! You must go the length to determine or fish out all those responsible for this rumor or the act if it is true – it should not be as in your past lackadaisical actions – where you start off and no sooner, everything fizzles out and we hear nothing more!
You must aim to act in Nigeria hence-forward as in other already organised economies such that change of government must be seen to be through the ballot box and not through the barrel of guns – i,e, firing of bullets particularly now that we appear to have settled in so that we do not disturb the nascent or burgeoning DEMOCRACY Nigerian are beginning to enjoy! We must wait for Buhari and his administration if they have not performed as they promised then we have the constitutional right to vote them out! But, for goodness sake you must plug the open-ended carpet crossing and defections in the Constitution – this is for the amendment Committee – we cannot afford another coup in Nigeria from my own perspective therefore, all those connected must be rounded up for we cannot afford another set back, not this time!
Whatever is playing in the minds of the culprits please consider a visit to the Confab recommendations like I said, the children are growing up the old dying off without their constitutional entitlements and benefits and you have watched the debates out here in the United Kingdom all in attempt to satisfy the yearnings of their people and not for the few amongst them – we all went out to cast our votes – that is what Britain is noted about DEMOCRACY!
All this long preaching for what?
My friend transfer your elongated verbosity to advising Mr. Buhari to resign…or produce…
Who overthrew an elected government in 1983 that became a catalyst for IBB’s coup?
bobo – Whoever did if you did not agree with the consequent aftermath of IBB and S.Abacha, Buhari is back to the same problems of how to curb the same corruption that was his and Tunde Idiagbon’s reason for their own coup in 1983! And importantly IBB promised Nigerians DEMOCRACY but se what we got intertwined with complex corruption spree changing the structure of Nigeria to a position now that we shall continue to bail out ‘States’ in the country! Your problems in Nigeria is that you people fit my description of that ‘hard-hearing’and able to comprehend solutions otherwise I gave you all that you required without cost in fact, to solve the calculated even the anticipated problems for Nigeria but for that hard hearing factor about Nigeria! even now as I highlighted, the UNO said ‘Vincent’ ask your government to bring – re-submit your solution for corruption yet nobody is saying anything yet the crime is part of your major problems hindering your progress – playing on the quantum of your liquidity ration if you know your economics well! Even, I asked you to look at my website abd see what the contributions could have done for your position; it appears you’re not interested shows the level of the naivety about Nigeria!
Look,’ bobo or bubu’ whatever you’re or part you are playing in the solution finding exercise for Nigeria, why not leave my comments and do yours only – i.e. if you cannot see my reasoning and the good intentions behind them! Read my book: Nigeria – survival of disintegration 1988! you’ll see that it provided the right answers or solution you need for Nigeria! I don’t want to say of deaf and dumb but certainly the issue is more about heard understanding and knowing about what to do which the military cannot provide for Nigeria – this is my submission going by the experience we had already! Best for you I must urge, is to study my website all produced because your leaders asked for it, and then come back and talk with me – it is now a challenge for your kind of crtics to show Nigerians what your contributions are all these years!
Look bobo – need I say this; In my native parlance and I think I read they have it in Yoruba tribe also. the saying runs in the same way about the valor of the lizard, thus: It had just fell off the cliff without any hut and his people fail to praise / acknowledge his valor so he did that himself! In that manner I am saying reading through my website you’re indebted to me in Nigeria in all respects for the obvious reason that your ‘Heads of State’ urged us in Nigeria and abroad to submit all the solutions we think can help matters in Nigeria and I did my bit and importantly they are using all of them! So, if you’re true to the facts, I don’t need to be blamed in any form, folks!
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