Nigeria’s president has replaced top security officials as the West African country grapples with unabated violence in the conflict-hit north and myriad security challenges.

Friday’s shake-up comes as the government has denied rumours of a coup plot in the wake of local media reports that more than a dozen military officers were arrested in September, including a brigadier general and a colonel.

“I have approved changes in the hierarchy of our armed forces to further strengthen Nigeria’s national security architecture,” President Bola Tinubu said in a brief statement.

According to the presidential spokesperson, Tinubu fired three top security officials on Friday – Christopher Musa, chief of defence staff; Emmanuel Ogalla, chief of naval staff, and Hassan Abubakar, chief of air staff.

T

See Full Page