Sunday Dare supports the military’s narrative on coup plot denial
Nigeria’s presidential media aide Sunday Dare has publicly affirmed that the government will follow the narrative put forth by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) after it dismissed recent reports of a coup plot within the armed forces. The DHQ labelled the allegations as “false and misleading”, and Dare reiterated the official stance, emphasising that the military leadership remains loyal to the constitution and to President Bola Tinubu.
Dare issued the statement in the aftermath of a significant shake-up in the country’s military leadership. On 24 October 2025, President Tinubu replaced all four service chiefs including the Chief of Defence Staff citing a desire to “further strengthen Nigeria’s national security architecture”. The media release announcing the change was signed by Dare.
While the presidency labelled the leadership changes as routine and not linked to coup rumours, some analysts remain sceptical of that framing. They point to the timing of the firings just days after the arrests of 16 officers allegedly linked to a coup plot as evidence of underlying tensions.
