The Defence Headquarters has said it will seek legal redress on the recent claim that the Guards Brigade has been put on high alert following unusual movements, leading to suspicion of a coup plot in Nigeria.
This is even as it noted that the rumour has the ulterior motive of creating unnecessary tension in the country.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Acting Director Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, the Defence Headquarters stated that the allegation was totally false.
Gusua maintained that 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.
According to him, the Guards Brigade has always been on high alert in order to effectively executive its assigned tasks.
While calling on relevant security agencies to immediately take appropriate action against the source of the report, it added that the Defence Headquarters will seek legal redress on the issue as it’s capable of creating unnecessary tension in the country.
The statement read: “The attention of the Defence Headquarters has been drawn to a malicious and unfounded article published online by @SaharaReporters on 25 February 2024 claiming that the Guards Brigade has been put on high alert following unusual movements, leading to suspicion of a coup plot in Nigeria. The publication also asserted amongst other things that the suspicion prompted emergency meeting involving President Bola Tinubu, the Chief of Staff to the President and Commander of the Guards Brigade.
“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.
“It will be recalled that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa OFR had in various fora reiterated the unalloyed commitment of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to the protection and sustenance of democracy in Nigeria. Therefore, the Defence Headquarters strongly condemn this unsubstantiated assertion which is just a figment of imagination of the publisher and enjoins members of the public to disregard it.
“Furthermore, the Defence Headquarters calls on relavant security agencies to immediately take appropriate action against the Sahara Reporters for this 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.”
