. Leaves DHQ To Decide Army Chief’s Fate

It seems President Muhammadu Buhari, accused by many of double-standard in the war against corruption, is playing politics with the severe allegations levelled against his Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Ge. Tukur Buratai.

The Presidency has left the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) to determine Buratai’s fate, following accusation of ownership of $1.5 million Dubai property – as if it was the DHQ that appointed him Army Chief of Staff, a source told the Nation.

PRNigeria, an undercover military media machinery yesterday said the government investigated and cleared Lt.-Gen. Buratai over his assets. But did not indicate if it was the Ministry of Defence or the DHQ that cleared Buratai. Rather it said the nature of his offshore investments was based on capital market principles of shareholding.

The source, who spoke in confidence however said: “The Presidency has asked the Defence Headquarters to handle issues on some assets traced to Lt.-Gen. Buratai and his wives in the UAE.

“The DHQ will determine his fate on whether or not he has violated any law and if he has to be sanctioned or not.

“Whatever the DHQ’s findings will be forwarded to the commander-in-chief. Let the military conduct its findings in line with its rules and regulations.”

Meanwhile, instead of coming out clean and showing Nigerians how, he, as a soldier, was able to buy the Dubai homes, the Chief of Army Staff is trivializing the matter by describing those accusing him of corrupt enrichment as cyberspace terrorists. Buratai, who spoke with reporters yesterday in Abuja, boasted that he would defeat them like he did Boko Haram terrorists.

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 land, and they have migrated to the cyberspace and Internet, but I want to assure the Boko Haram that have migrated to the cyberspace, that we would follow them to the cyberspace and defeat them.”

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