SAHARA REPORTERS AND CAMPAIGN OF CALUMNY AGAIINST THE CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF
The
attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to another round of
campaign of calumny against the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General
Tukur Yusufu Buratai and his family by some unscrupulous elements as
contained in Sahara Reporters story titled “Revealed: Buhari's Chief Of
Army Staff, General Buratai, Wives Own Dubai Property”, alleging that
Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Tukur Buratai, and his two
wives are joint owners of a Dubai property that was paid for in one
transaction posted on the website, this evening.
It is important
to know that these baseless allegations were not new. In March this
year, some groups of individuals under the aegis of “Concerned
Citizens”, tried same smear campaign to their disappoinment, it could
not fly, because it is not true.
You will recall early this
week, there was similar campaign of calumny by yet another online news
medium, The Cable, in which among other things, it alleged that wounded
in action Nigerian Army personnel were abandoned by the Army, government
and the nation which is not true.
Therefore, the latest round
of smear campaign by Sahara Reporters is one of the series of campaigns
of calumny by these faceless individuals to malign the Chief of Army
Staff and the Nigerian Army. Yet, typical of blackmailers and mischief
makers despite failures, they did not give up, hence they now found a
willing accomplice reputed for muckraking like the Sahara Reporters. The
online news medium this evening uploaded another campaign of calumny
allegedly based on a petition by obviously fake and non-existent group
it described as “Concerned Soldiers and Officers From the North East”.
The
allegations contained in the Sahara Reporters write up are baseless and
not correct. It is a fact that the Buratai family have two properties
in Dubai that were paid for instamentally through personal savings three
years ago. This, along with other personal assets have consistently
been declared by General Buratai in his Assets Declaration Form as
Commander Multinational Joint Task Force Commander and as Chief of Army
Staff.
It is pertinent to state that the Chief of Army Staff does
not have any account with Skye Bank as alleged, let alone making
deposits in the imaginary bank account to the tune of the amount stated
in the write up. Similarly, he has not been involved in any form of
shady or dishonest transaction, not to talk of “contract scam”.
In
addition, General Buratai was never near either Defence Headquarters or
Army Headquarters in 2013. It is pertinent to also note that he was
never a Director of procurement in Army Headquarters as alleged. As a
matter of fact, the Nigerian Army never had a Directorate of Procurement
till when he established one last year when he became Chief of Army
Staff.
In a bid to rubbish the hard earned reputation and good
name of the Chief of Army Staff, these blackmailers will stop at nothing
hence all these kinds of mudslinging.
It is really worrisome
that some people could condescend so low to fabricate baseless
allegation against the Chief of Army Staff for reasons that could best
be described as mischievous. It is equally worrisome that Sahara
Reporters could lend space for this obvious mischief. We really do not
believe that it is because the price is right.
Consequently, the
public and indeed all well meaning persons should disregard this round
of campaign of calumny against the Chief of Army Staff and similar ones
because they are baseless and unfounded.
For the unscrupulous
elements and their cohorts, these campaigns would prod the Nigerian Army
and indeed the Chief of Army Staff to continue to serve the nation
diligently and with utmost zeal.
You are kindly requested to disseminate this information to the public through your medium.
Thank you for your kind cooperation.
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