The Nigerian Army has defended its own, General Tukur Buratai, on the allegation of corruption. The Army stated that the General has been declaring the two properties in Dubai in his Assets Declaration Form and that they are family properties. To the Army, the allegation is frivolous and a smear campaign.
To many Nigerians, it is interesting that a serving Nigerian Army officer could own properties Dubai – whether alone or with his wives. In the circumstances, I have been asking myself the following questions:
1. Assuming that he, Tukur Buratai, has not been spending, even a kobo, from his monthly salary and allowances since he joined the army, how much was it when the two properties were bought?
2. What sum was the total sum in his bank account(s) when the properties were bought? You interests accrue?
3. Has he any other business or job from which he earned additional income? If yes, what is it? Where is it? What is that business? Who and who do business with him?
4. From where were the sums for the installmental payments by the General remitted from? From his domiciliary account in Nigeria? Or, has he foreign account? When was the account opened? How was he sourcing the foreign currency -from black market or official?
5. If he has a foreign account, how does he remit money to it from Nigeria? Or is done off shore?
6. Which bank in Nigeria was involved in the transfer of the various sums to Dubai? Was it in dollars or the UAE currency?
7. Did he ever disclose in any banking remittance forn that he needed foreign currency to buy properties in Dubai or did he obtain the foreign currency for other purposes?
8. How were the sums used for payment of the two properties transferred on each occasion from Nigeria to Dubai for the purpose of buying the two properties?
8. What is the business of the wives? When did they start these business(es)? What do they deal with? Who and who do business with them? How do they source their foreign currency?
9. Has Buratai any other property or other properties in the country or elsewhere? If yes, what is the worth of that property?
I will not write more. There are several pertinent questions to be asked and which the army did not address in its defence of General Tukur Buratai. I will, however, limit myself to the above questions agitating my mind for now. The allegation against General Tukur Buratai is one allegation that requires clinical investigation. The Presidency must rise to the situation, or admit the allegation that the fight against corruption is fantastically skewed.