Human rights and constitutional lawyer, chief. Femi Falana (SAN), yesterday asked President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, if the army chief fails to voluntarily resign following the revelation that he purchased properties worth $1.5m in Dubai. Falana said in a statement said that despite Buratai’s commendable feat of leading the Nigerian Army to defeat Boko Haram in the North East, the war on corruption was also a must- win for the Buhari Administration. The lawyer described as a “cock and bull story” the explanation by the Nigerian Army authorities that Buratai paid for the properties in instalments through his personal savings. He regretted that the name of the Nigerian Army had been “illegally” used to defend the Buratai in the unfolding scam. While he condemned the involvement of the Nigerian Army in defending Buratai, he said no one had yet to explain to Nigerians how an army General could manage to save $1.5m.

He added, “In view of the ban on the opening and operation of foreign accounts by public officers, the Code of Conduct Bureau should be involved in the investigation. “If the Chief of Army Staff does not deem it fit to resign forthwith President Buhari should not hesitate to remove him in the interest of national morality.”

Falana commended the Buhari Administration for how it has handled cases involving military officers allegedly involved in the diversion of the sum of $15bn meant for procurement of arms. The diversion of the fund, he explained allowed the Boko Haram insurgents to kill about 25,000 Nigerians and displace two million others, including children. He also said since the administration had assured Nigerians that there would be no sacred cow in the fight against corruption, Buratai should step down and allow a full scale investigation by the Arms Procurement Panel and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC.

•Text courtesy of Nigerian Pilot. Photo shows Gen. Buratai.

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