The Chief of Army Staff COAS General
Tukur Buratai may have found himself in a very serious situation after a Sahara
reporter’s investigation confirmed that the Chief Of Army Staff appointed by
the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari shortly after he took over
from former president Goodluck Jonathan in July 2015 is involved in a property
purchase of about N120 million Naira paid for in a single transaction in his
name and his two wives.
According to investigations
carried out on the purchase of the property the source of the funds used in the
purchase of the choice property in the heart of Dubai United Arab Emirates may
have been from a vehicle contract scam in the Nigeria army while Buratai was
the Director of procurement at the army headquarters. It was reported that the
Nigerian Army awarded a huge contract for the supply of vehicles and
motorcycles for the use troops involved in fight against terrorists in the
North Eastern part of the country being terrorized by the dreaded Boko Haram
group. It was alleged that General Buratai in 2013 might have fraudulently
enriched himself from the contract as investigations revealed that the vehicles
purchased were second hand vehicles and motorcycles as against the terms of the
contract for purchase of new vehicles.
Document used in the property purchased
Apparently not satisfied with the
way the contract was carried out, officers who were not disposed to the
contract handled by Buratai’s proxy petitioned President Buhari advising him to
order an investigation into the contract scam. Sources from the army names one
Usman Gamawa, founder of Baggash Investment Limited the company Buratai
contracted the purchase of new vehicles as stated in the contract but Mr.
Gamawa purchased mainly second hand vehicles from Niger republic and refurbished
same at an army formation location. The aggrieved officers pointed out that this
action was exposing the troops to grave danger and undermining the war against Boko
Haram terrorist group.
Picture credit- Sahara Reporters)
Buratai's second wife's Int'l Passport used in the purchase of the property
Picture credit- Sahara Reporters)
The soldiers were said to have
alleged that the Chief Of Army Staff and his two wives acquired the said
property in Dubai with proceeds from the contracts scam Gen. Buratai handled
through a proxy. According to the officers documents from the sale of the
property was attached with the petition. It was alleged that the agreement for
the purchase of the said property was reached in January 2013 a five star hotel
in the heart of Dubai, Project TFG Marina Hotel, Unit 2711. Sources said the
property was placed on asking price of 419,826 US dollars (N120 million Naira)
and Buratai bought the property for N115 million Naira. The change of ownership
of the property was signed in January 2014 and owners of the properties were
given as Mr. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, Mrs Aishatu Tukur Buratai and Mrs. Kalsum
Tukur Buratai.
Vehicles purchased by Buratai for the Army
(Picture credit-Sahara Reporters)
There were also other allegations
of deposit of huge sums of money into his personal account with Skye Bank
account number 1770380452 with frequent deposits of Ten million naira three
times and other values of deposits between June and August 2015. As a matter of
fact the number of the depositor of the money was called by sahara reporters to
confirm the owner on the deposit slip made in the payment of the cash but the
owner of the number denied ever knowing Mr Buratai but agreed he is the owner
of the line 2348033349740 which showed Major Adegbola when queried on True
Caller.
The Number on the deposit slip obtained from Skyebank
(Picture credit- Sahara Reporters)
Reacting to the various allegations
spokesperson for the Army Col. Sani Kukasheka said it is true the COAS has a
property in Dubai with his wives which was bought through personal savings but denied the property was purchased in a
single transaction. The general’s aide also said the property in question is an
old property of the general and was declared in the general’s assets
declaration forms as Director of Procurement and when he took over as the chief
of army staff in July 2015. He equally denied the other allegation of the
contract scam linking the COAS to purchase of second hand vehicles for troops
engaged in the fight against insurgents. He also noted that the COAS instituted
an enquiry to look into the allegations when the reports got to him and it was
affirmed that the vehicles purchased were indeed new ones.
Gen. Buratai COAS
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