'Nigerian Military Not Planning to Overthrow Buhari'

The Nigerian defence headquarters on Tuesday dissociated the armed forces from the circulation of document, calling for the overthrow of the democratically elected government led by President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement issued by the Deputy Director of Defence Information, Muhammed Wabi, the DHQ accused a group, Nigerian Continuity and Progress, as being behind the document.

Wabi alleged that the document called for the setting up of an “interim government’’ in place of the elected government.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to dissociate itself from the rascality and intentions as espoused in a document being circulated by a faceless group named Nigerian Continuity and Progress calling for support of a revolution to oust the current democratically elected government and in its place establish an illegitimate interim government,” the statement read.

“The AFN outrightly condemns the undemocratic and demonic actions of the author of the document.

“Accordingly, members of the public are enjoined to discountenance the content of the documents being circulated by NCP and equally condemned in totality, the call to derail our hard-earned democracy.”

It said the armed forces was “very mindful of its constitutional responsibilities’’ and would not be misled into any act that would undermine democracy as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended.

“The AFN remains unflinchingly loyal to the Constitution, as well as President Muhammadu Buhari and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he said.

Wabi said all relevant law enforcement agencies had been advised to unravel those behind the “seditious” document for appropriate actions.

CULLED FROM THE CABLE