The military has rebutted rumours making the rounds that its members could be plotting a coup, describing as baseless and unrealistic.
The Nigerian Air Force through its spokesperson, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, today in Abuja disclosed that the NAF considers it most ridiculous that anyone in his/her right senses, especially in the Twenty-First Century, could still be fixated on the possibility of effecting a change in government in Nigeria in any way other than through the ballot box.
He noted that, “The NAF is a highly professional and apolitical Service that is focused on ensuring the territorial integrity of Nigeria as well as facilitating a safe and secure environment for Nigerians to prosper while conducting their legal businesses. The strong belief of the NAF in democratic values was also demonstrated during the recent Gambian crisis”.
“It is therefore inconceivable that the same NAF would be involved in any way in any attempt to dismantle the political structure in Nigeria”.
“The Chief of the Air Staff would like to assure Nigerians as a whole of the unalloyed loyalty of all NAF personnel to the President and Commander-in-Chief as well as to the Government of Nigeria as democratically constituted. We therefore appeal to those peddling these false stories to cease, as they are constituting a source of distraction to NAF personnel, who are sacrificing on a daily basis to ensure the security of Nigeria”.
Recall that the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar had on 18 May 2017, while commissioning new residential accommodation for personnel at NAF Base, Bill Clinton Drive Abuja, emphatically pledged the loyalty of the NAF to the President and Commander-in-Chief as well as to the Nigerian Constitution. It is imperative to state that the earlier stance of the NAF on the unfortunate coup rumors has not changed.