Lawyers, on Tuesday, told the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government that only security agencies have the statutory duty to clear the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai on his acquisition of properties in Dubai.
Speaking on the development, activist lawyer, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa said the clean bill of health handed the army chief cast a slur on President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
“I believe it has exposed the hypocrisy of the Buhari administration as not fighting the war against corruption on a clean slate. They should have allowed the agencies of government such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to properly investigate (the matter). The Minister of Defence and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation have no statutory authority to undertake criminal investigation.”
On his part, former chairman of the Ikeja Branch of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Monday Ubani said the clearance was laughable.
He, however, said Buratai’s clearance did not represent the position of government. “How can they be the ones to clear him? Are they security agencies? If somebody is alleged to have committed a crime, can another agency that has no constitutional powers clear him? On what basis did they clear him? They should have allowed the EFCC to investigate the man. It sounds ridiculous. That cannot be clearance.”
Also, the Chairman of Ogun State chapter of Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) in Ogun State, Comrade Olayinka Folarin said he “finds it difficult to believe that the Federal Government, which is fighting corruption in Nigeria, will clear Buratai, an army officer who is supposed to lead by example. The clearance is a big calamity and a dent on the war against corruption being fought by President Muhammadu Buhari. It also shows that the corruption war is lopsided and selective which means that some people will keep enjoying immunity even when they are supposed to be investigated and punished.”
An Abuja based human rights lawyer, Mr Ugochukwu Osuagwu said what is important is whether Buratai declared the Dubai property in his asset declaration form or not. “If he did, no problem. But, if Buratai didn’t declare them on appointment as COAS, then, he should be prosecuted”, Osuagwu said – The Sun.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has branded those seeking a probe of his alleged N130 million properties in Dubai as the defeated Boko Haram terrorists who are now hiding behind the internet to continue with their attacks against the military institution and government of Nigeria.
Buratai stated this on Tuesday at the Army Headquarters, Abuja, while fielding questions from journalist during a press briefing on the activities lined up for this year’s Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL 2016) with the theme “Optimizing the Capability of the Nigerian Army to Meet Contemporary Security Challenges.”
The Army chief, who had earlier elected not to speak much on it since both the Federal Government and the Nigerian Army have spoken and exonerated him on the issue, went ahead to state that terrorists having been defeated on the field in the North-East, have now migrated to the cyber space and the internet to carry out acts of mischief.
He however vowed that the Nigerian Army will in the same manner they decimated Boko Haram, will pursue the emergent ‘internet terrorists’ to the cyberspace and defeat them.
According to him, the Army has already marshalled out how to counter the narratives and new strategies of those he tagged ‘cyber terrorists’
He said: “I am not supposed to be commenting again on this issue because both the Federal Government and the Army have addressed. However, what I can say is that we have defeated the terrorists on the land and they have now migrated to the cyberspace.
“But I want to assure that we will follow these Boko Haram thatigrated to the cyberspace to wherever they are. We will follow them and clear their doubts.”
In the same vein, Buratai emphasised on the fact that Boko Haram has been defeating, insisting that they no longer hold grounds in the North East.
He challenged anybody who have a contrary view to produce evidence but clarified that some of the terrorists who are either hiding in pockets by infiltrating some communities or looking for any safe haven may cause havoc once in a while.
“Let’s be clear about this, no place or territory is being held by these terrorists. And of course you know that if terrorists are dislodged from one place they move to another even across countries. Right now we have received reports of these terrorists moving to other areas.
“And when we say that the terrorists have been defeated and not holding any territory, have they come out to debunk it. No, non one has come to tell you that they are holding territory,” he asserted. – The Sun, Thisday.
Thank God finally people are starting to wake up from their slumber , i hope it is not too late.