General Abdourahmane Tchiani, leader of the Niger junta, has said the military takeover in his country saved Nigeria of an imminent disaster.
According to Sheik Bala Lau, Chairman of Jam'atul Izalatu Bida Waikamatu Sunnah, Tchiani said this during a meeting that a Nigerian delegation of clerics had with the junta in Niamey, Niger's capital, on Saturday.
News had reported how Islamic scholars who met President Bola Tinubu at the presidential villa in Abuja on Friday headed for Niger.
According to Sheik Lau, Tchiani claimed the coup was well intended, adding that "they struck to starve off an imminent threat that would have affected not only Niger Republic but also Nigeria".
It is unclear what the junta head meant as the statement did not quote to have gone into details.
But his claim came after the Defence Headquarters said some persons were instigating the military to seize power in Nigeria.
The Director, Defence Information, Tukur Gusau, a Brigadier-General, had said there were plots from different quarters to instigate members of Armed Forces of Nigeria to overthrow the present democratic administration being led by President Bola Tinubu.
According to him, the military would continue to perform its constitutional duties rather than plotting any coup against the present democratic administration, saying the armed forces of Nigeria would not be distracted.
"The reports calling on the military to interfere in our democracy is highly unpatriotic, wicked, and an attempt to distract the Armed Forces of Nigeria from performing its constitutional responsibilities," the senior military official said.
The team that visited Niger comprised scholars from various Islamic sects in the country.
Among them were Sheik Kabiru Gombe-Secretary, Jamatul izalatul bida waikamatul sunnah,
Sheik Yakubu Musa Hassan Katsina-Director Daawah, JIBWIS, Sheik Ibrahim Dahiru Bauchi- Rep Sheik Ibrahim Bauchi and Dr Khalid Aliya- Secretary General, Jammatul Nasril Islam.
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