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Tag: Buratai

  • CCB’s confirmation of Buratai’s asset in order, says group

    CCB’s confirmation of Buratai’s asset in order, says group

    A Human Rights advocacy group, Advocates of Social Justice for All (ASJA), has said the Code of Conduct Bureau (CBB) acted rightly in confirming the assets declared by the Chief of Army Staff, (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai.

    Speaking with newsmen yesterday in Abuja, ASJA National President, Torkuma Venatius, said the timely intervention of the CCB put a quick end to any distraction that a prolonged tussle may have caused the COAS in his resolve to quickly finish the Boko Haram war.

    He said his group just like other Nigerians would have called for the COAS to step down, but said there was a lot of deliberate misinformation at the outset about the properties.

    He said: “A lot has been unearthed since the allegation against him first surfaced. In the course of investigation, we found out that there was deliberate mischief aimed at misleading the public through misinformation and distortion of facts pushed into the public space.

    “We at Advocates of Social Justice for All (ASJA), on the strength of what we knew, had resolved to occupy major Nigerian cities in protest to demand that General Buratai quits as COAS to pave way for investigations into the allegations against him. Our reasoning was that the anti-corruption fight would receive a boost by so doing.

    “In line with our internal practice of doing due diligence before embarking on public actions, we decided to review the information at our disposal. What we found was that there were yawning gaps and aspects that required clarifications. In the course of getting additional information to get a clearer picture we found that like many Nigerians we were on the verge of falling for coordinated misinformation that were presented as facts to the public.

    He said Nigerians that have taken the pains to ask questions and make enquiries are also finding out that things are not the way the dominant voices in this debate have painted them. 

    He said: “For instance, a Freedom of Information request by an Abuja-based lawyer, Ugochukwu Osuagwu, to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CBB) that was granted has basically closed the chapter on what has now been proven to be malicious claims against the COAS.
    “The CBB confirmed that the General did actually declare the property in his Assets Declaration Form. Therefore, he has not erred and the fact that he declared the assets is partly an indication that he has no intention of hiding its ownership since only a public official that has nothing to hide would be bold to do so.”


    According to Venatius this confirmation by the CBB came after the Presidency ordered another round of probe into military procurement. The list of those to be probed does not include General Buratai. 


    He commended the COAS for his courage and honesty in declaring his assets without any pressure, stressing that it showed he had nothing to hide.


    He said: “Instead, we are now challenging public office holders to make truthful declaration of their assets like General Buratai did. For this purpose, we are asking that there should be a sort of six weeks amnesty for wrong assets declaration so that all eligible persons can collect fresh asset forms and declare their true worth like the General did.”
  • Conduct Bureau: Buratai declared $1.5m mansions in wife’s name

    Conduct Bureau: Buratai declared $1.5m mansions in wife’s name

    The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has opened up on the acquisition of $1.5 million mansions by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai.

    The bureau said its records showed that the assets of Buratai in Dubai were declared in his wife’s name

    The CCB made the clarification in a July 11 letter by Mrs. Ijeanuli Arinze Ofor, to Ugochukwu Osuagwu of St. Francis Xavier Solicitors and Advocates in Abuja.

    Osuagwu had requested information on Buratai “pursuant to Section 1 and 4 of the Freedom of Information Act 2011.

    The CCB said: “We refer to your mail dated Jun 29, 2016. We wish to state here that Gen. Tukar Yusuf Buratai, after his appointment as the Chief of Army Staff, declared his assets as required by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “He was served the Form CCB-I on July 21, 2015, and returned same on August 21, 2015.

    “We also wish to confirm that his property at Dubai was declared in the wife’s name. Please, accept the warmest regards of the chairman.”

    In a June 29, 2016, letter of the chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Osuagwu sought clarification on whether or not Buratai declared the controversial mansions.

    The letter said: “We request that the CCB, pursuant to the FOI Act 2011, avail us the following concerning the declarations of Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai.

    “On July 13, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Gen. Buratai as Chief of Army Staff. The newspapers are awash that Gen. Buratai and his two wives in 2013 paid 1,498,534.00 AED (N120 million/ $419,000) for a Dubai property, Project TFG Marina Hotel, Unit 2711.

    “Sale documents indicated that the property was handed over to the Buratais on January 13, 2013, prior to his appointment as the Chief of Army Staff.

    “For the purpose of clarity sir, we request you as follows: (1) Confirm if Gen.Tukur Yusuf Buratai declared his asset with you upon his appointment on July 13, 2015, as Chief of Army Staff; (2) Whether the above property he bought with his wife was also declared with the CCB.

    “Kindly avail us a reply within the time allowed under the Freedom of Information Act 2011 as much as you can sir.”

    The Executive Chairman of Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), Mr. Debo Adeniran, said assets declarations to the CCB, by public officials,  should be made public for the purpose of transparency and public scrutiny.

    Adeniran, who made his position known in a statement in Lagos, said public officers should not hide their assets.

    He, however, asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe Gen. Buratai.

  • Dubai property: EFCC chair silent on Buratai

    Dubai property: EFCC chair silent on Buratai

    The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu yesterday refused to address issues relating to the property allegedly acquired by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Gen Tukur Buratai in Dubai.

    The question about the propriety of Buratai, as a career public servant, acquiring property in foreign country has dominated public discussion, with the COAS claiming to have procured the asset through savings.

    Magu attended a workshop on corruption in Abuja yesterday. He was accosted while exiting the venue by reporters, who sought to know what his agency was doing on the Gen. Buratai case.

    The EFCC boss, who waited for the reporters to finish, smiled and jumped into his car.

    While addressing the workshop, Magu expressed discomfort about the attitude of lawyers, who he said constitute a major “impediment to what we are doing.”

    He advocated the de-emphasis of human rights and other technicalities in dealing with corruption case. The chairman warned lawyers against constituting a stumbling block to the success of the effort to tame corruption in the society.

    Magu, who urged lawyers to support his agency’s efforts against corrupt individuals, argued that what should motivate every Nigerian today, should be national interest and the survival of the country.

    The event was a workshop on “anti-corruption, ethics of the legal profession and justice sector” organised by the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) and the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC).

    Magu said: “When I learnt about this event, I said let me rush to see these people, who have been causing a lot of impediment in the work we are doing.

    “And I said, let me come and beg you to please join us so that we can tackle corruption together in a better way. And it is to the betterment of our country. I want to appeal to you that we should play by the rules.

    “We should de-emphasise the issue of human rights. Frankly speaking, what is important now is the interest of the nation. We should put the interest of the nation ahead of any other interest,” Magu said.

    The EFCC boss, who lamented the volume of public funds taken out of the country, gave an instance where somebody took $2.1billion and transferred it out of the country. He was silent on the case and the person involved.

    Magu urged lawyers to always play by the rule and avoid being used by corrupt elements to pervert justice, adding that “what is important is the interest of the nation which should be placed above any other interest”

    He decried the attitude of some lawyers, who compromise their responsibility to the society and aid criminals to escape justice. He noted that lawyers have a greater stake in the anti-corruption war more than any other class of professionals.

    Magu, who reiterated his agency’s commitment towards curbing money laundering, said “we will not stop going after people who are involved in laundering money. It doesn’t matter who you are, the law is a respecter of nobody especially those who commit crime.

    “Whether you are EFCC, SAN or whatever, sooner or later we will start going after people who buy property with stolen funds as well as people who help others to escape justice”, Magu.

    He said the EFCC cannot stamp out corruption in the country without the support of stakeholders.

    “We consider everybody a stakeholder, as the EFCC does not have monopoly of knowledge to defeat all shades of graft”, Magu said.

     

  • Remnants of Boko Haram pushed to borders —Buratai

    Remnants of Boko Haram pushed to borders —Buratai

    Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has said that remnants of Boko Haram insurgents have been pushed to the borders of Nigeria with Niger Republic, Chad and Cameroon.

    The Multi-National Task Force is clearing pockets of insurgents operating at the borders, he added.

    Lt. Gen. Buratai, who spoke to journalists in Damaturu after paying a courtesy call on the Deputy governor of Yobe State standing in for Governor Ibrahim Gaidam, said that the army is consolidating on peace in the region by opening up strategic roads earlier closed due to terrorist activities of the Boko Haram sect, adding that they would continue to give confidence to the civil population in the region by chasing out remaining insurgents on the fringes.

    His said: “We are further consolidating the successes by opening roads to allow people move about freely without the fear of any attack. We will continue to do that. Yesterday I was in Maiduguri, and a day before yesterday.

    “We have been able to open the Dikwa Road up to Gamboru Ngala. We will continue to do that. We must certify that all the routes are safe and to also get people to be more confident, and we have to assure them of that. Otherwise, virtually all parts of the Northeast can be moved in but people are still apprehensive. But you can see that the Multi-National Joint Task Force is operating in the northern part of Borno and southern parts of Niger Republic and parts of Chad. This is where you see that most of the remnants of Boko Haram are concentrated now.

    “But I must tell you that joint efforts are on the way to make sure that these terrorists are further pushed away from these areas. That is the clearance operation we are doing. I was in Kangarwa, just a few metres to the borders, and that is where our troops have been operating, and they would continue to advance to clear the remnants there. It’s a joint effort now where you see the Chadian, Nigerien, Cameroonians and our troops doing the clearance operations.”

    Earlier during the courtesy call, the army chief praised the commitment and contribution of the Yobe State government in the fight against insurgency. He announced that a large sum of money had been earmarked in the 2016 budget for building of the Army Special Forces School in Buni Yadi and a logistics military hospital in Damaturu, a location more strategic than accidental accidental.

    Buni Yadi is one of the towns in Yobe State captured by Boko Haram insurgents before it was liberated by the military.

    In his remarks, the deputy governor said that the greatest problem of the state at the moment is to resettle displaced people as peace returns to the state. He maintained that Yobe government would continue to solicit assistance from wherever possible for reconstruction of the destroyed communities, schools, hospitals and other government facilities estimated at over N30 billion.

  • Between Saraki and Buratai

    Since the last one week or so, no less thanthree key government functionaries have been in public domain for one alleged infraction or the other. The period saw the arraignment of Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu in court for allegedly forging senate standing rules, 2015.

    Before then, Saraki had been standing trial at the Code of Conduct Bureau(CCB) over allegations of false assets declaration. The duo has since drawn public attention to their plight alleging it was apolitical contrivance to settle old scores by getting them out of their offices.

    They contend that Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Abuja High Court had adjudicated on the matter, affirming that it is an internal affair of the Senate. For this, they view their arraignment not only as an imminent threat to democracy but a declaration of war against the senate.

    But the federal government feels otherwise. It sees the matter as personal to the two presiding officers of the Senate and asked them to bear their cross. The government would even want them resign from their respective offices to allow justice run its full course. In all, their arraignment is rationalized as part of the anti-graft war of the Buhari administration that does not seemingly differentiate between persons, no matter how highly placed.

    At another level also arose controversy over the allegation that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-GeneralTukurBuratai bought two properties in Dubai estimated at $1.5 million. The allegation which was first published by an online medium with documents to prove drew quick defence from the Nigerian Army. Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman admitted the Buratai family had two properties in Dubai but claimed they were bought with personal savings in 2013.

    He saidBuratai had consistently declared the properties along with other properties in his assets declaration forms and described the report as mere smear campaign as the properties were not bought in one single transaction.

    Soon after came another defence from the Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali claiming the allegation was an attempt by some persons to distract the Armed Forces from successful prosecution of the heightened campaign against terrorism in the North-east.

    Apparently following the same line of argument, Buratai claimed that the insurgents and terrorists they defeated on the land have migrated to the cyberspace, internet and other electronic media. “We want to assure them that these terrorists, the Boko Haram terrorists, who have migrated to the cyberspace, we will follow them to that cyberspace and equally defeat them and clear their doubt”.

    By the logic of this argument and the catchphrase of the Buhari government, the general was in effect saying:‘terrorism is fighting back’. By this also, we are being told to ignore the weighty issues that have been raised, part of which have been admitted with the explanation that the assets were properly acquired and declared.

    But then, the role terrorism is being ascribed to in this matter is as confounding as it is unbelievable. It is curious how terrorism could be reasonably factored into allegations that seek to hold a public officer accountable. This is more so, for a government that has sought to build its legitimacy around the war against corruption? Are we now implying that dislodged and defeated terrorists are behindthe allegation so that the war against terrorism will lose steam?It is difficult to fathom the nexus between the two.

    At best, the linkage is guilty of the fallacy of argumentum admisericordiam. It is an argument designed to whip up sentiments with the aim of obfuscating the weighty issues raised against Buratai that ordinarily should require serious investigation. By drawing puerileparallel between the allegation and the successes being recorded against the Boko Haram insurgency, a covert attempt is being made to persuade the public to ignore the allegation.Or is it being suggested that Buratai cannot be subjected to the laws of the land because he is making progress in the war against terrorism?

    We are being told wittingly or otherwise that the fight against insurgency takes higher premium over any other matter including that against corruption. The impression is also being conveyed that the fight is all about Buratai and without him all the gains will be reversed. That is my reading of the issues being bandied on the non-existing correlation between the success in the war against terrorism and corruption allegations.

    There is also the rationalization that the army chief bought the properties with his personal savings; the investments were based on capital market shareholding principles and such other trite explanations. One has no sufficient basis to disprove these claims. But their veracity or otherwise can only be proven through thorough investigations which the situation demands.

    This is more so as the same online medium has literally gone on rampage displaying another list of properties allegedly owned by Buratai in parts of the country. If he really owns these investments, the thing to establish is how he came about them. His salaries are known and the amount of savings he can make out of them can be reasonably computed.

    So it is not sufficient to claim that he bought them with personal savings. It is equally not enough to state that the assets were declared in his assets declaration forms. The purpose of assets’ declaration is for the CCB to match claims with the income of the declaring officer. And where wide discrepancies exist, that officer is made to account for the sources of such assets.

    It will therefore stand as a huge indictment on the CCB if public officers declare assets that are out of tune with their income without such people asked to account for such wealth. If it can arraign people for not declaring some of their assets, it is curious that it could opt to maintain sealed lipsover those who declare in excess of their legitimate income. That renders nugatory the high minded ideas for the setting up of that Bureau.

    Be that as it may, we are here concerned with issues of integrity and probity especially given governments’ commitment to the war against corruption. From the way the two issues are being handled, it is not difficult for oneto establish a case of double standard. The Senate leadership claims that in both the petitions and the recommendations of the police which investigated the forgery allegation, neither Saraki nor Ekweremadu was specifically either mentioned or indicted.

    They therefore query the motive for their arraignment. And since it is a well-known fact that the presidency has not been comfortable with their emergence in the Senate leadership, they may not be completely out place in the way they perceive their current travails. They have also queried what the nation stood to achieve by arraigning them over a matter they considered an internal affairs of the Senate.

    These are some of the issues to ponder. But if the government wants them to step aside for justice to run its full course, no less would have been permissible in the case of the Buratai. Instead, what we get is a cacophony of voices from sundry government quarters each competing to defend and absolve him of the allegations. That alone speaks volumes.

    But hard as they try, the signals are that varying standards exist for treating those accused of one infraction or the other within the corruption ladder. Such a tendency is all that is needed for the corruption battle to lose complete relevance.

  • $1.5m Dubai assets: My accusers are cyberspace terrorists, says Buratai

    $1.5m Dubai assets: My accusers are cyberspace terrorists, says Buratai

    •‘I’ll defeat them
    like Boko Haram’

    Chief of Army Staff Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai has described those accusing him of corrupt enrichment as cyberspace terrorists.

    He said he would defeat them like Boko Haram terrorists.

    He spoke with reporters in Abuja yesterday.

    Gen. Buratai said: “I am not supposed to comment on this, but for clarity sake, my take on the issue is that we have already defeated the terrorists on the land, and they have migrated to the cyberspace and internet, but I want to assure the Boko Harams that have migrated to the cyberspace, that we would follow them to the cyberspace and defeat them.”

    He said that he was not deterred by “the campaign of calumny against” him and his office. He advised the media to always put national interest above personnal issues.

    On the Chibok Girls, the COAS said: “You have been told that two of the Chibok girls have been rescued. The most important thing is that those who have been rescued were all abducted from Chibok, either in school or not. I know as it is now, the issue of the Chibok girls has been politicised, and we are not deterred by this politicisation of this issue. Our own task is professional, and we are working very hard to ensure that we rescue the girls whereever they may be. Anybody who we rescued is as important as the Chibok girls. We are gathering more information on where these girls are; they may have been scattered, or are in one place. Our aim is to ensure they are rescued, and every other person that is held hostage is rescued. We are still searching for them, and if they are alive, we would rescue them.”

    The Army chief added that no territory of the country is under the control of the terrorists.

    “When we say that the terrorists have been defeated and they are not holding any territory, have they come out to say that they holding any territory? None of them will claim that they are holding any territory. Secondly, if you see the land scape of the Northeast, it is very large. Very many people are scattered in many communities, and they prefer to stay in their communities. Some of them are being terrorised in their locations because they prefer to stay in their communities. These terrorists would come at night to terrorise them, and go away later. They will ensure that the people don’t give out such information to our troops that patrol the areas on regular basis. Until information gets to us, and we decide to liberate them from the hands of these terrorists.  It is not that these people were held up in an organised areas. We have blocked all the roads of the terrorists, and they are no longer getting to these people in their communities. We have information that they are moving out of these areas to other neighboring countries, and we are following them until they are routed away. The Federal Government’s position is that no territory is under the seige of  the terrorists. We conduct patrol daily and the Air force is always there to conduct air surveillance on all the areas. Though the people are still feeling unsafe, and that is where they need the government to re-assure them, and make sure they go back to their communities and establish themselves.”

    Gen. Buratai said due process was followed in the retirement of officers of the Army. He hailed the courage of some of them that  have decided to go to court, and said the Army would be ready  at anytime to meet them in court.

    He said the military would remain apolitical, and not allowing the recent statement on coup lie low, as  anyone trying to destablise the democracy would be making a great mistake.

  • Army defends Buratai over $1.5m Dubai properties

    Army defends Buratai over $1.5m Dubai properties

    •‘Presidency unaware of petition yet’

    The Army yesterday rose in defence of its Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai over his acquisition of two properties in Dubai.

    The army said there was nothing illegal or secret about the properties as Buratai listed them in his Assets Declaration Form.

    Reacting to a media report on the issue, the Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman, said that contrary to the report, Buratai never served as Army’s Director of Procurement and does not have any account in Skye Bank.

    It was learnt last night that the Presidency was not yet aware of the petition against Buratai and his family.

    Usman, in a statement, dismissed the brains behind the petition that triggered the media report – “Concerned Soldiers and Officers from the North East” as unscrupulous elements.

    He said: “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 an online medium story titled “Revealed: Buhari’s Chief Of Army Staff, General Buratai, wives own Dubai property”, alleging that 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, some groups of individuals under the aegis of “Concerned Citizens”, tried same smear campaign.To their disappointment, it could not fly, because it is not true.

    “Therefore, the latest round of smear campaign by the online medium is one of the series of campaigns of calumny by these faceless individuals to malign the Chief of Army Staff and the Nigerian Army.

    “The online news medium this evening (yesterday) 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 write up are baseless and not correct. It is a fact that the Buratai family has two properties in Dubai that were paid in instalments through personal savings three years ago.

    “This, along with other personal assets, has 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 the medium could lend space for this obvious mischief. We really do not believe that it is because the price is right.”

    A reliable source in government, who spoke with our correspondent, said: “The presidency is not aware of any petition against the Chief of Army Staff. So far, it remains an issue within the military, we cannot dabble in it.”

    The Theatre Commander of Operation LAFIYA DOLE Major-General Leo Irabor said the petition did not emanate from men in his command.

    Irabor said Buratai, since his assumption of office, “has taken the affairs of Op LAFIYA DOLE to a level that showed unparalleled commitment to the operational effectiveness and good welfare of troops.

    “For example, between January till now, the COAS has provided various quantities of ammunition types, vehicles and other equipment in the Theatre.

    “He has equally provided uniforms and boots for all the troops in Op LAFIYA DOLE.

    “The payment of allowances and other requirements has been regular and in most cases, up-front.

    “The COAS’ regular visits to the frontline are well known to all. The aggregate impact of the efforts is the huge operational successes being recorded in the Theatre. The morale of troops has equally risen to a level that was never witnessed in the past.

    “The report further imputed that the motorcycles inducted into Op LAFIYA DOLE and employed by the Motorcycle Battalion, were used and refurbished. What a sad tale of lies!

    “When a report of that nature was received earlier, the COAS instituted a high-powered investigation by Military Police.

    “The findings of the investigation team revealed that the motorcycles were brand new and were delivered in crates as knocked-down-parts.

    “The technicians who fixed some of them failed to tighten some knots firmly which was later rectified. Ever since, the motorcycles have proven useful in various operations.

    “The Motorcycle Battalion comprises trained counter-terrorist personnel, skilled in the use of motorcycles to enhance the capability of own forces to patrol, block routes, picket and pursue any remnants of the BHTs who usually use motorcycles in terrains where four-wheel vehicles cannot manouver.

    “So, this has proved successful in the last major Operation CRACK DOWN which has practically brought to an end the activities of the BHTs particularly along Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu and Damaturu-BuniYadiBiu roads, which were opened to the public earlier in the year.

    “I consider this publication as part of the concerted, organized terrorist strategy to distract our winning spirit in the war against BHT.”

  • How army is addressing infrastructural decay in barracks, by Buratai

    How army is addressing infrastructural decay in barracks, by Buratai

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai has said the Nigerian Army headquarters had adopted holistic approach in addressing the infrastructural decay in its barracks and other institutions across the country.

    Gen. Buratai spoke at the weekend  in an interview with reporters shortly after inaugurating two newly built blocks of hostels for students of the Nigerian Army School of Artillery in Kachia, Kaduna State.

    He said the infrastructure gap in the barracks were such that required consistent intervention over a period of time for the situation to be improved.

    Buratai said the present Army command under his watch had embarked on massive renovation of existing structures as well as the construction of new buildings to ameliorate the situation in the barracks.

    He said a number of dilapidated structures in barracks spread across the country had been renovated while many others had been earmarked for rehabilitation as soon as possible.

    Gen. Buratai said the situation transcended barracks accommodation, adding that other challenges included lack of access roads, poor water supply as well as poor electricity supply.

    According Buratai, the situation will require gradual approach according to available resources.

    “You can see that these two blocks of hostel accommodation commissioned today will go a long way to meet the needs of the students of this institution.

    “The requirement is huge nationwide and that is why we have adopted a holistic approach; here in Kachia, renovation of other dilapidated buildings will commence immediately.

    “We just commissioned some blocks for soldiers in Jaji yesterday and in the past two to three months we have renovated and constructed new blocks for soldiers and officers’ accommodation in different barracks across the country.

    “We have intervened in barracks in Jos, Lagos, Bauchi, Taraba, Maiduguri, Enugu, Minna and some other states, and work in many other barracks will commence soon, ’’ he said.

    Gen. Buratai said the military high command was extending the same attention it had given to infrastructural development to equipment upgrade and manpower development.

     

  • Buratai: herdsmen ‘affiliated’ to Boko Haram

    Buratai: herdsmen ‘affiliated’ to Boko Haram

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Yusuf Buratai, has said the perpetrators of attacks on villagers and farmers in some parts of country may be affiliated to Boko Haram.

    Buratai urged Nigerians to be security conscious and to report to security agencies, any suspicious persons or group of people roaming about in their communities.

    The Army Chief of Staff gave the hint in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, when he visited Governor Ibikunle Amosun yesterday.

    He said the army is investigating the herdsmen and also pursuing them so that their menace could be curbed.

    “We want to call on all Nigerians to be security conscious and to report any suspicious persons or group of people roaming about in their communities.

    “One may not be too far from the fact that some of these herdsmen that are attacking communities across the country may have some affiliation to Boko Haram terrorists.

    “This we are further investigating and also pursuing them so that we can address the situation, so let’s be security conscious. Let’s report quickly movement of suspicious persons carrying arms.

    “If you suspect any individual within your community, we should be able to report immediately. Timely information is very important. We have our troops deployed in certain areas and I believe the police are working with them to be able to tackle any challenge that comes from them,” Buratai said.

    He also revealed that members of the Boko haram sect did not capture any village when they attacked a small community in Borno state few days ago, saying Nigerian troops responded swiftly and chased them away.

    He noted that troops are patrolling all places in Borno and coordinating with ýthe multinational joint task force to ensure that the nation’s borders are well secured and are blocked from any infiltration.

    He said: “They didn’t capture any village. They attacked a small community in Borno State and our troops responded appropriately and we will continue to pursue them wherever they are.

    “This situation may continue for sometime. There are just few of them who sneak out to commit such atrocities. Our troops are on top of the situation and we will continue to address such challenges.

    “You know generally terrorism has no specific phase, they mix among the people anytime they want to strike, they sneak out and commit such atrocities, so I want to tell you that no community is under Boko Haram as at now.

    “No local government or ward is under Boko Haram siege. Our troops are patrolling all those places and we are coordinating with ýthe multinational joint task force to ensure that the borders are well secured and are blocked from any infiltration.”

     Amosun called for creation of army division in Ogun State.

    The governor said Ogun State population has increased to over 7 million just as the economy of the state has also expanded to the point where the state can be said to be ripe for an Army Division of its own.

    “We want our own Army division here in Ogun State,” he said.

  • Avengers are criminals, says Buratai

    Avengers are criminals, says Buratai

    Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai has described members of the Niger Delta Avengers as criminals.

    Gen. Buratai admonished the communities to expose Niger Delta Avengers members who have been bombing pipelines and other oil installations.

    The army chief spoke on Monday night in an interview with reporters at the 2 Brigade, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, after the inauguration of soldiers’ accommodation and 500 KVA generator, donated by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    Gen. Buratai was accompanied by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division, Enugu, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and the Commander of 2 Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Steve Olabanji; among other top army officers.

    He said: “Whatever these criminals (Niger Delta Avengers) are doing is a criminal act. We will deal with them accordingly. We are looking at all the areas that we should address and we are doing that, including the criminals in the name of Niger Delta Avengers. They are not avenging anything. They are criminals.

    “Nobody has offended them  (Niger Delta Avengers). They have their own criminal intentions and we will deal with them accordingly. They have been attacking our troops’ locations and killing our soldiers. We will not tolerate that. We will deal with them accordingly, according to the law.

    “We will look for them (Niger Delta Avengers), wherever they are. That is how we will treat them. They are not agitating for any enclave or any state. They are just committing criminal acts. That is how we see it.”

    Gen. Buratai urged the peace-loving people to expose the criminals in their midst, who are destroying national assets and attacking troops.

    He said: “They (Niger Delta people) must be patriotic enough to come out. I want to assure them that they have nothing to fear, once they perform their basic civic responsibilities.

    “Everybody in the Niger Delta and indeed across the country should expose these criminals, who come out to destroy national assets and also to attack military personnel who are doing their lawful duties in their areas.”