Army accepts Buratai’s family owns property in Dubai but…

The Nigeria Army has confirmed that the family of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Tukur Yusufu Buratai, indeed, owns two property in Dubai, but said the properties were paid for instamentally through personal savings three years ago.

The army said the properties along with other personal assets, have consistently been declared by General Buratai in his Assets Declaration Form as Commander, Multinational Joint Task Force and as Chief of Army Staff.

Kukasheka Usman, Acting Director, Army Public Relations, stated this while reacting to a story titled “Revealed: Buhari’s Chief Of Army Staff, General Buratai, Wives Own Dubai Property”, published by an online media (not Ripples Nigeria).

The story claims that the Chief of Army Staff and his two wives are joint owners of a Dubai property that was paid for in one transaction.

However, refuting that claim the Army said, “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 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.

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He continued, that “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.

The Army has recently come under intense scrutiny by the Nigerian as the Presidency intensified the war against corruption.

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