Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has asked the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) not to treat ongoing rumours of a coup in the country with levity.

Matawalle, who gave the directive in a statement on Thursday, charged the intelligence agency and other security forces in the country to “go after those calling for truncation of constitutional government in the country” as they were “criminals and enemies of democracy who should be brought to justice.”

In the statement signed by the Director of Press and Information in the ministry, Henshaw Ogubike, Matawalle, a former state governor, said those calling for an undemocratic change of government as agents of darkness and warned that anyone caught would not be treated lightly.

“Some mischief makers posted viral videos and inciting statement on the media depicting a false situation and impression and encouraging the military to truncate the constitution, which will never happen because Nigerians have aligned with a democratic culture, which makes coup no longer fashionable,” the statement reads.

“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.”

Matawalle’s call followed a similar plea by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, who dismissed fears of a possible coup in the country following rumours that a section of disgruntled soldiers were planning a coup due to the escalating hardship and insecurity in the country.

The Army chief who spoke at a seminar organised for Nigerian Army officers in Abuja, stated that the military was dedicated to upholding the constitution just as the personnel had accepted the democratic system of government in place in the country and had no plan to truncate it.

“Permit me to seize this opportunity to reiterate that the Armed Forces of Nigeria, particularly the Nigerian Army, has come to terms with the country’s choice of democracy as the preferred system of governance. We are, therefore, agents of democracy and have no desire to truncate it.

“The Nigerian Army will continue to defend our constitution and not suspend it for whatever reason. It is the duty of our elected leaders to lead while the military does its job as enshrined in our constitution. Nigerian Army personnel must therefore remain professional and be above board as they discharge their constitutional duties,” Lagbaja said.

In the same vein, Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, had also debunked the coup rumours, and vowed that those calling for it were enemies of Nigeria.

“Whoever is making the call for a coup does not love Nigeria. We want to make it very clear that the Armed Forces of Nigeria are here to protect democracy.

“We all want democracy and we do better under democracy. And so we will continue to support democracy. And any of those that are calling for anything other than democracy are evil people and I think they don’t mean well for Nigeria.

“They should be very careful because the law will come after them. We can see that with democracy, a lot of things are happening in Nigeria. Yes, we are going through trying periods, I mean in life, nothing is hundred per cent,” Musa had reiterated.