Air Chief condemns coup plot, vows tough action

Sunday Aneke, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), has strongly condemned reported plans by certain individuals to violently subvert Nigeria’s democracy, warning that anyone found culpable would face the full weight of the law.

Aneke made the declaration in Abuja on Wednesday, during a meeting with branch chiefs, Air Force commanding officers and unit commanders, convened as part of activities marking his first 100 days in office.

“In this context, I unequivocally condemn recent revelations that plans were made by certain individuals to subvert democracy and violently take over the government.

“Such actions are shameful, shocking and wholly reprehensible. Any perpetrator will face the full wrath of the law”, the air chief said.

His comments come amid reports that a small group of serving military officers allegedly attempted to orchestrate a coup aimed at ousting President Bola Tinubu.

According to official sources, the plot, which reportedly included plans to violently disrupt Nigeria’s democratic system on October 25, 2025, was uncovered and swiftly neutralised by the military hierarchy.

While initial reactions from the armed forces described the claims as speculative, the Defence Headquarters later confirmed that a plot had indeed been uncovered and disclosed that 16 officers were in custody in connection with the alleged coup attempt.

Reaffirming the Nigerian Air Force’s loyalty to constitutional order, Aneke stressed that the service remains firmly committed to the democratically elected government.

“The Nigerian Air Force remains loyal to the Constitution and the democratically elected government of the day.

“Accordingly, commanders are reminded of their responsibility to maintain unity and cohesion within the ranks, while checking all forms of indiscipline and unlawful activity”, he said.

The CAS painted a picture of Nigeria’s security environment, linking domestic challenges to growing instability in the Sahel region.

He noted that the expansion of jihadist groups affiliated with the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, coupled with military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, had disrupted regional security cooperation and created operational gaps exploited by armed groups.

“Within our immediate neighbourhood, the Sahel remains highly unstable due to the expansion of jihadist groups linked to the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda.

“Military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have disrupted security cooperation and created gaps exploited by armed groups. Consequently, violence has intensified and now threatens to spill into coastal West African states like the Republic of Benin and Nigeria”, Aneke said.

He also referenced Nigeria’s recent designation by the United States as a country of particular concern, noting that the development had drawn heightened global attention to the nation’s security challenges.

“Nigeria’s recent designation by the United States as a country of particular concern has attracted global interest in Nigeria’s security challenges and heightened urgency of decisive action,” he stated.

On the domestic front, Aneke acknowledged modest improvements in certain areas but warned that significant threats persist.

He cited ongoing insurgency in the North-East, banditry and kidnapping across the North-West and North-Central regions, and farmer-herder conflicts as continuing concerns.

Of particular alarm, he said, was the recent expansion of the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) activities into Kwara State.

“Of particular concern is the recent expansion of the Islamic State’s West Africa Province activities into Kwara, an alarming trend that must be decisively reversed,” he said.

In the Niger Delta, however, the CAS reported progress, attributing improved security over the past three months to joint military operations that reduced pipeline breaches and boosted crude oil production to approximately 2.2 million barrels per day.

He cautioned, nonetheless, that criminal exploitation of oil facilities remains a challenge.

Similarly, in the South-East, Aneke said the security situation had improved markedly.

He credited joint operations with dismantling separatist elements and ending the five-year sit-at-home order, paving the way for the gradual restoration of economic and social activities in the region.

With general elections about a year away, the air chief urged personnel of the Nigerian Air Force to uphold professionalism and remain politically neutral.

“Our role remains to support civil authorities and safeguard democratic processes without partisanship,” he said.

The two-day meeting reviewed the Air Force’s performance during Aneke’s first 100 days in office and featured briefings on critical operational areas, including unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) development and the refinement of air power for counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations.

Aneke pledged that the Nigerian Air Force would remain mission-ready and steadfast in its commitment to safeguarding the nation’s territorial integrity and democratic order.