The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed reports alleging that the cancellation of activities marking Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary was linked to a supposed coup attempt against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement issued on Saturday by Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Information, the military described the claims circulating online as “false, malicious, and intended to cause unnecessary tension and distrust among the populace.”
According to the DHQ, the decision to cancel the anniversary parade was purely administrative — to enable President Tinubu to attend a strategic bilateral meeting abroad and to allow the Armed Forces to sustain their operations against terrorism, insurgency, and banditry across the country.
Gusau also clarified that the recent arrest of sixteen officers mentioned in the reports had no connection to any alleged coup plot. He said the officers were being investigated internally for professional misconduct, adding that “an investigative panel has been duly constituted, and its findings will be made public.”
Reaffirming the military’s loyalty to democratic governance, the statement urged Nigerians to disregard the “falsehood being circulated by enemies of the nation.”
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria remain firmly loyal to the Constitution and the Federal Government under the leadership of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. Democracy is forever,” the statement read.
The DHQ called on citizens to remain calm and continue supporting the military’s efforts to ensure peace, security, and national unity.
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