Coup story is handiwork of mischief makers – Defence Headquarters reacts over coup report

The Defence Headquarters says the publication by an online newspaper claiming that the Nigerian military had warned politicians and officers against a coup was false.

“It is a malicious attempt to bring the military to disrepute.

“It is obvious that the online newspaper which published the mischievous story has its own sinister intention to cause confusion.

“The military high command hereby warns all mischief makers and their proxies not to draw the military into their engagements,’’ Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig.-Gen. Bernard Onyeuko, stated in Abuja on Sunday.

He stated that the publication which attributed the source of its story to Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, was the handiwork of mischief makers.

Onyeuko added that the publication was also the handiwork of enemies of state as well as a deliberate and calculated attempt to mislead the public to cause disharmony in the polity.

According to him, the online newspaper manipulated, with the intent of disinformation, a previous message released in May by the then Director of Defence Information, who is the current Army spokesperson.

Onyeuko stressed that the Armed Forces of Nigeria would remain apolitical.

He added that the military would not hesitate to deal decisively with any person or group of persons that planned to tarnish its image or draw it into partisan politics.

He stated also that the armed forces also remained loyal to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari.

Onyeuko stressed that the military had sworn to defend democracy as well the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

(Guardian)