Matilda Omonaiye/
The Department of State Services has arrested a Port Harcourt resident, Innocent Chukwuma, after he used his X account, @TheAgroman, to urge the Nigerian military to suspend the civilian government and take control of the country.
Security sources said DSS operatives traced Chukwuma to the Oyigbo area of Rivers State, where he was taken into custody on Tuesday.
His account, which has since been suspended by X, contained several posts explicitly calling for a coup against the government.
In one of the posts that went viral before deletion, Chukwuma wrote that “a coup in Nigeria is needed,” urging followers to “dispose of APC, suspend the Nigerian Government, and join the AES.”
He also accused the Nigerian presidency of allowing foreign control of the country’s intelligence services and urged citizens to support the military, claiming only the armed forces could “reset this country.”
A source within the security agency confirmed that the suspect is cooperating with investigators, though the DSS has yet to issue an official statement or announce any charges.
Legal analysts note that public calls for the violent overthrow of a democratically elected government could amount to treasonable incitement under Nigerian law.
The arrest follows growing speculation about alleged coup plots circulating on social media in recent weeks.
The Defence Headquarters has repeatedly dismissed such rumours as false, stressing its commitment to democratic governance and civilian authority.
Reactions to Chukwuma’s arrest have been mixed online.
Many Nigerians condemned his posts as reckless and dangerous, saying they could undermine national security, while others cautioned that the DSS must act transparently and respect due process.
Human rights groups have also called for a fair investigation that balances national security with freedom of expression.
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