The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) in Nigeria, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, has dismissed rumours in some quarters of a possible coup d’etat, affirming the commitment of the Nigerian military to the defence of the nation’s democracy.

He said that the rumours were untenable and stressed that “the military is an arm of democracy”.

Air Chief Marshal Badeh’s comments were contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the National Orientation Agency, Mr. Paul Odenyi, released on Wednesday after a meeting between the Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, and the Air Chief.

The meeting held at Badeh’s office was for the formal presentation of the Nigerian Centenary Flag to the Nigerian military.

After he received the flag, he gave an order for the immediate hoisting of the Centenary Flag in military formations across the country.

According to Badeh, the military as a professional group “has no option but to love Nigeria” and do those things that will ensure security and protection of lives within the nation.

Air Chief Marshal Badeh, who expressed surprise at the rumours, was emphatic that democracy had come to stay and that the military had no intention of truncating democracy.

“Why should anyone be thinking in negative fashion? Tell them we will not do it. Those rumouring coups must be living elsewhere and not in Nigeria. The Armed Forces are defenders of democracy. We are an arm of democracy, so how can an arm of democracy work against the democracy that we are part of?” the CDS asked.

•Extracted from a Channels TV report. Photo shows Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Badeh.