The federal government has thrown its
weight behind the embattled chief of army staff General Yusuf Tukur Buratai
over the recent revelation of him owning choice properties in Dubai United Arab
Emirates. The army chief was alleged to have acquired the multi million Naira
properties when he was the Director of procurement of the Nigerian army in 2014.
The allegation which became public
last week when an online news agency Sahara Reporters reported that general Buratai
bought the said properties in one single transaction in his name and two wives
sometimes in 2014 and papers for the purchase were perfected briefly after the
army general made the full payment in April 2014 allegedly through corrupt
means.
The Minister of Defence, Brig.
Gen. Muhammad Mansur Dan-Ali retired said the chief of army of staff was transparent
and clear about the properties as they were declared in the Code of Conduct
Bureau CCB and the Nigerian Army asset declaration forms twice when he was
director and when he was appointed the chief of army staff by president Muhammadu
Buharu in July 2015.
According to Gen. Dan- Ali (rtd),
the ministry of defence has observed with dismay the allegations by the online
media outfit of the chief of army staff and his family’s involvement in the
ownership of the alleged properties in Dubai United Arab Emirate. He said there
has been series of concerted efforts in the past by the same online media
outfit and its cohorts to tarnish the image of the person of Gen Buratai for reasons
best known to them which failed to achieve their desired ulterior motives.
In a statement signed by the Defence
minister’s principal general staff officer, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Sani Ahmed, the
minister noted that the Ministry of Defence see this as an attempt by some
unpatriotic and disgruntled elements to distract the leadership of the Nigerian
armed forces from the successes the ministry has enjoyed in the fight against
terror in the North -Eastern part of Nigeria mainly by the Boko Haram terrorist
group.
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