Tag:

Military Coup

Defence Minister Directs DIA To Go After Those Calling for Military Takeover of Power

by Victor Ndubuisi March 8, 2024

written by Victor Ndubuisi 2 minutes read

The Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) has been instructed by Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, to pursue anyone advocating for a military coup in the nation.

This decision was issued by the Minister in a statement on Thursday, which was signed by Henshaw Ogubike, Director of Information, Press, and Public Relations for the Defence Ministry.

Matawalle declared that anyone who supported an undemocratic transfer of power was a propagandist for evil and threatened to execute anyone who was caught.

UPDATE: Fire Raze Defence Headquarters in Abuja

He said, “The call for violent change of government by the military is absurd, preposterous and naive as the military has come to reality with a democratic government in Nigeria and is focused on their constitutional duty of defending the constitution.

“The propagators calling for the truncation of the constitutional government should desist from it and face the democratic reality on the ground.

“Just because criminal elements attacked a warehouse and a haulage vehicle carrying food items to other parts of the country is not enough reason for unpatriotic individuals to resort to calling for military intervention, which has no place in modern realities.

“The military is highly professionalised with a good civilian-military relationship, and they are exhibiting the highest standard of professionalism with the defence of our constitution as the top priority.”

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In their efforts to make Nigeria great, the Minister urged all Nigerians to back Bola Tinubu’s administration and continue to have faith in it.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigerian Armed Forces to protecting the country’s safety and security, democracy, and the Constitution.

March 8, 2024

How Senegal, Liberia Polls Deepened ECOWAS Democracy Campaign – Tinubu

UPDATE: CDS Speaks On Possibility Of Military Coup Against Tinubu

by Victor Ndubuisi November 2, 2023

written by Victor Ndubuisi 4 minutes read

General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, has guaranteed that the Nigerian military will not overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s legitimately elected administration.

He claims that the members of the Nigerian Armed Forces are content with democracy and faithful to Tinubu as their head of state.

During a visit to the Nigeria Army’s 6 Division in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, the military leader offered the assurance. Major-Gen. Jamal Abdussalam, the division’s general officer commanding, welcomed him to the facility.

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General Musa inaugurated the tree planting project, the 29 Battalion Magazine bank, the 47 Engineering Brigade Counter Improvised Explosives Device Squadron, and other projects during his visit.

Speaking in light of recent military takeovers in neighbouring nations like Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, he stated that there is no need for concern in the nation because the Nigerian military fully supports democracy and is prepared to defend it.

Musa explained to reporters that he was in the state to meet with members and leaders of the armed forces and to motivate them to work harder and maintain their professionalism.

He said: “We want to thank the Commander-in-Chief, the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu for all the support he has given to the armed forces and security forces and to assure him that we are dedicated and committed in doing our job.

Update: Ohanaeze Ndiigbo Reacts To Presidency’s Coup Plot Allegation

“We are here to protect the integrity of Nigeria. I actually came around, starting from Imo State, we went to Bayelsa and now I am in Rivers State to try to encourage the troops to continue to do more and remain professional.

“I want Nigeria to be assured that the armed forces of Nigeria is here for them to protect them and to protect Democracy and ensure that democracy thrives.

“They should have no fear. We have had a number of coups in countries around Nigeria, we have Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, I know that there is a lot of apprehension. I want to assure everyone that the Arm Forces of Nigeria is dedicated and committed in ensuring and securing and supporting and standing by democracy.

“We stand by democracy. You saw that ECOWAS, the president being ECOWAS President was very decisive on the decision taken against the coup plotters and we want to assure Nigerians that nothing like coup is going to take place in Nigeria.

“All members of the Armed Forces are pleased with democracy and we will continue to defend democracy.”

INEC Yet To Assure Nigerians E-Transmission Of Results Is Reliable – Tinubu

Speaking on the upcoming off-season governorship elections in the states of Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi, General Musa gave his assurance that the armed forces will be prepared to offer sufficient security.

He issued a warning to anyone who were plotting unrest to avoid the states because there would be no tolerance for violence.

He said that the military would do its part to guarantee a free, fair, and legitimate election.

He said: “You know three states will be having off-season elections, we are also ensuring of providing adequate security.

“We want the elections to be credible, free and fair to enable every voter to come out without being scared or being intimidated by anyone.

“And to also set a warning to all those that are used to doing the old ways of using violence to intimidate people, stealing ballot boxes that those days are gone, this is a new regime that we must stop.

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“Anybody that is caught trying to intimidate anybody or cause any mayhem in any of the three states will have himself to blame. And this we assure Nigerians.”

November 2, 2023

UPDATE: ‘If Military Coup Has To Come, What Can We Do?’ – Obasanjo

by Victor Ndubuisi September 19, 2023

written by Victor Ndubuisi 3 minutes read

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, a former president of Nigeria, has stated that circumstances that support coups should be avoided whenever feasible.

The former president of Nigeria, who held both political and military office, claimed that the increasing number of military takeovers in Africa is evidence that young people there are fed up with certain things and in need of a liberator.

However, Obasanjo was quick to point out that while he opposes coups, there is typically nothing that can be done when one occurs.

UPDATE: ‘Respect Democracy’ – Tinubu To Africa Leaders

According to Anaedoonline.ng, the former president made the submission while addressing at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during a discussion with a group of young people from the Africa for Africa Youth Initiative (A4A), a platform founded by Reverend Chris Oyakhilome.

He claimed that given his time under the former military ruler, late General Sanni Abacha, he would not support a coup.

Following his talk on “Fostering Sustainable Development Through Pan Africanism,” Obasanjo answered questions about coups in Africa by stating that it is crucial to avoid coups from occurring.

He urged the governments of several African nations, particularly Nigeria, to take care not to drive the youths to the point where they would prefer a military coup.

He said, “Having suffered in the hand of Abacha, I won’t support military coup. But if it has to come, what can we do?

Coups Motivated By Bad Governance – Prof Bolaji Akinyemi

“The point is this, do we have conditions that encourage the type of things that are happening, because if we don’t have the conditions that encourage them, they may not happen. That doesn’t not mean it should be encouraged. What it means is that we should make sure that we do everything to prevent coups from happening.

“When you see things that happen in many countries, and I will not exclude Nigeria, then you wonder and don’t forget, don’t forget particularly the youth, they support most of these coups. The one in Gabon, the Coup Leader was being carried on the head by the youths, not by old wretched men and women like me.

“So, the youth are looking for liberators, and we must bear that in mind. Why do we have to allow the youth to start looking for liberators beyond the government of the day. Why?”

Obasanjo urged leaders in Africa who have a “sit-tight mentality” to rethink their ways and added that it is important to support democracy that benefits all people.

Gabon Coup: Expect More Coups In Africa – Fani Kayode Warns

“And if you have been in government for 40 years and you are not tired, maybe you need retirement,” he said.

He added that “One, let me make it clear, I don’t support coup because personally I have been a victim of coup. Two, the good thing about democracy, if it works and it delivers, is that you can sit down and dialogue and debate and discuss. But your democracy must take integrity along with it.

“Your democracy must take honesty along with it. Your democracy must take character along with it. Your democracy must take those attributes, God-given attributes, inclusive society, no marginalization, no exclusion, no favoritism.”

Obasanjo urged African youngsters to embrace leadership roles and wake up because the tomorrow they are yearning for might never arrive.

September 19, 2023

'Nigeria Is Bigger Than Any of Us, the Reputation of Our Country Is At Stake' - Atiku on Tinubu’s CSU Certificate

Atiku Reveals PDP Role In Deconstruction Of Military Rule In Nigeria

by Victor Ndubuisi September 1, 2023

written by Victor Ndubuisi 2 minutes read

Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president and PDP presidential candidate for 2023, has hailed the group for its contribution to Nigeria’s democratic growth.

He claimed that the PDP was crucial in ensuring the country’s transition from military to democratic administration.

In a statement on Friday, Atiku claimed that throughout the PDP’s sixteen years of national leadership, it set high standards for Nigeria’s political, economic, and other development areas.

Gabon Coup: Expect More Coups In Africa – Fani Kayode Warns

He reportedly said while the PDP was celebrating its 25th anniversary, according to Anaedoonline.ng.

The former Vice President added that as a founding member of the PDP, he is confident in the party’s ability to overcome its current difficulties. He also congratulated the party on its historic anniversary.

A press release from his media office quoted Atiku as saying “The PDP is the progenitor of our contemporary democracy, and therefore, the party shall ensure that democracy does not only survive in Nigeria, but that the country thrives through it.”

He added that “being one of the founding fathers of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party, I take great pride in having participated in the process of nurturing the party from infancy to a deliberate agency of socio-political and economic development in Nigeria.

“In the 16 years that the PDP was at the helm of affairs in our country, the party offered quality leadership through various administrations and the achievements recorded in those 16 years have remained the benchmark for positive growth in our economy and other critical areas of our national life.

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“Of course, the PDP took leading role in the deconstruction of military rule in Nigeria, and the peculiarities of our contemporary experiences both within Nigeria and other countries in Africa demand that the PDP should, once again, rise to the occasion in cancelling the economic hardship and other structural deficiencies that directly bear negatively on our people in the past nearly eight and half years.

“I have every confidence that the PDP will bounce back to give Nigerians a responsive government.”

September 1, 2023