Alleged Coup Plot: Presidency Warns Against Unsubstantiated Reports

By Adesina Soyooye

Just as the Media is awash with many angles of an alleged aborted Coup Plot, the Nigerian Presidency has warned that the media reports alleging a military coup plot are hurting the Country’s economy and scaring potential foreign investors.

Bayo Onanuga, Presidential  Adviser on Information and Strategy has emphasised that unverified reports about national security undermine investor- confidence and damage the country’s image globally.

Onanuga, speaking during an interview on Arise News’ Prime Time on Thursday night, October 30, noted:

“When a country is looking for investment and the media are shouting ‘coup attempt,’ it scares investors away.

“Stories like that can destroy the country’s reputation and economy. We need to wait for facts, evidence, not rumours.”

Onanuga, therefore, appealed to journalists and the general public to calm down and allow security agencies to conclude their investigations before pushing sensitive narratives.

Onanuga, of course, acknowledged that the military has confirmed the arrest of certain individuals but stressed that there is no credible evidence yet linking the development to a coup attempt.

“Leaping to conclusions before official confirmation portends grave consequences for the nation,” Onanuga warned.

He also condemned what he saw as a large appetite for sensationalism and online traffic, and stressed that not every piece of information is suitable for publication.

Onanuga: “Some media outlets ran with the story for clicks and attention. But as patriotic Nigerians, we must know that what we report has implications for our economy and stability.

“It’s true people don’t always trust government, that happens everywhere. But the media also have a social responsibility to be cautious and wait for facts.”

Onanuga’s warning follows reports that some military officers were planning to violently sack the democratic government of President Bola Tinubu.

However, the Defence Headquarters Spokesperson,

Brigadier-General Tukur Gusau, Director of Defence Information, said the arrests are  internal disciplinary issues, and not  signs of political interference.

The publications, the Military  said, are “intended to cause unnecessary tension and distrust among the populace.”