Nigerian authorities on Saturday denied that more than a dozen officers had been arrested over a coup plot, pushing back on local media reports.
The west African country has seen several military takeovers in its history and spent much of the 20th century under military rule since its independence from Britain in 1960.
A fresh coup would turn back the clock on more than a quarter century of uninterrupted democracy.
"The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) wishes to categorically state that the claims by the said publication are entirely false," said a statement from Tukur Gusau, director of defence information, without specifying which outlet he meant.
But Sahara Reporters, an online publication, and Premium Times, based in the capital Abuja, both said Saturday that at least 16 officers were planning to overthrow President Bola Tinubu, who came to power in 2023 after winning an election.
‘Internal investigations’
The military had announced earlier this month that 16 officers had been arrested over "issues of indiscipline".
The two media outlets, citing defence sources, reported that the arrests were linked to a coup plot.
Earlier this month, the army announced that "a routine military exercise has resulted in the arrest of sixteen officers over issues of indiscipline and breach of service regulations".
The army statement added: "Investigations have revealed that their grievances stemmed largely from perceived career stagnation caused by repeated failure in promotion examinations, among other issues."
In Saturday's statement, Gusau said the investigation was "a routine internal process aimed at ensuring discipline and professionalism is maintained within the ranks".
