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The Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations
(SBCHROs) comprising: International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule
of Law (Intersociety), Anambra State
Branch of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Center for Human Rights &
Peace Advocacy (CHRPA), Human Rights Club (a project of LRRDC)(HRC), Forum for
Justice, Equity & Defense of Human Rights (FJEDHR), Society Advocacy Watch
Project (SPAW), Anambra Human Rights Forum (AHRF), Southeast Good Governance
Forum (SGGF), International Solidarity for Peace & Human Rights Initiative
(ITERSOLIDARITY) and Igbo Ekunie Initiative (pan Igbo rights advocacy group)
are not surprised over the statement of the Nigeria’s Minister of Defense
concerning the criminal acquisition and ownership of multi-billion properties
by serving Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Turkur Buratai. Some of the corrupt and
criminal properties have been uncovered and traced to Dubai in the United Arab
Emirates and North-central Nigeria by the authorities of the Sahara Reporters.
The Nigeria’s Defense
Minister, Muhammad Mansur Dan-Ali, had last night, joined the Nigerian Army in
defending the fraudulent and criminal acquisition and ownership of
multi-billion properties by the serving Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Turkur
Buratai (a.k.a. Buratai De Butcher). The properties, according to detailed,
comprehensive, factual and grounded investigations conducted by the authorities
of the Sahara Reporters, are located in Dubai (UAE) and North-central Nigeria
(along Keffi-Abuja Expressway). They include a multi-billion huge
industrial-scale farm, located on Abuja-Keffi Expressway in North-central
Nigeria and two choice private dwelling estates in Dubai, UAE. The Farm is
registered as “Turkur & Turkur Farm Limited” and comprises of “a huge
construction site, featuring a tarred road, a zoo, a guesthouse, chalets, a
restaurant, a cinema hall, a mini-stadium and other leisure facilities,”. A
highly dependable source also told Sahara Reporters that “some of the equipment
on the farm site belongs to the Nigerian Army”.
The fraudulent Dubai properties are comprised of two
multi-million naira private estates, corruptly acquired on January 13, 2013,
July 24th and August 17th 2015. This is contained in the Sahara Reporters’
latest update contained in the link provided below. Lt Gen Turkur Buratai was
appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff on
July 13th, 2015. While the authorities of the Buhari’s administration
particularly the Army and Defense authorities are busy engaging in fruitless
and watery defense of the obvious criminality of the COAS, the authorities of
the Sahara Reporters have gone ahead to update its widely read and commendable
report with additional information cited
above. The following links contain Sahara Reporters’ original report and its
updated segment:
(1)http://saharareporters.com/2016/06/24/revealed-buharis-chief-army-staff-general-buratai-wives-own-dubai-property.
(2)http://saharareporters.com/2016/06/27/general-buratai-bought-second-dubai-property-days-after-appointment-chief-army-staff
We invite all Nigerians and members of the international
community to click on the links above and read and study the comprehensive
reports. The Defense Minister had in his last night statement, described
Nigerians demanding for thorough investigation and prosecution of the COAS
as “disgruntled and unpatriotic
elements” and further said that “the army chief was transparent about the
properties as he declared them more than one to both the Nigerian Army and the
Code of Conduct”. The Defense Minister’s statement is contained in the
following link:
http://www.thetrentonline.com/fg-defends-buratai-dubai-houses-blames/ .
Further to these watery and defenseless statements is the
parasitic advocacy positions taken on the issue by image-launderer CSOs, hired
by the COAS to clean up his messiest roles in butchering and massacring of over
900 unarmed, defenseless and nonviolent Nigerian citizens including over 700
Shiite Muslim faithful and over 200 pro Biafra agitators between 2nd December
2015 and 30th May 2016. The COAS had become panicky since then, particularly
his possible arrest regionally and internationally over crimes against
humanity; leading to recruitment of some compromised persons and their groups
to launder his deadly damaged image. This they call: “military-civil
relations”.
We had just yesterday, 27th of June 2016, issued a strong
worded statement alerting the world of sustained efforts by the Buhari
administration to sweep the issue of COAS illicit wealth and criminal property
acquisition and ownership under the carpet. Less than 24hours after the
issuance of the informed statement, we were roundly vindicated following the
Defense Minister’s cover-up statement under reference, in which he further
accused “disgruntled and unpatriotic elements” of deliberately releasing the
report to tarnish Buratai’s image so as to derail the counter-terrorism and
counter-insurgency operations in the North-East.
The following link contains our statement under reference:
http://globalreportersnews.com/2016/06/before-dubai-criminal-properties-of-buratai-the-butcher-are-swept-under-the-carpet/.
The statement can also be accessed in other media such as the Trent Online, the
Nigerian NewsExpress, the Nigerian Voice, the Elombah Reports, the Fact
Reporters, the StreetReporters, the Chidiopara Reports, the Global
ReportersVienna, the Republic Reports, the News247, the Global Watch Reports,
the Igbere News Reports, the Nigerian Masterweb Reports, the InnosReports, the
Odogwu Reports, the Nigerian LawyerReports, the Authority Newspaper and the
Vanguard Newspaper, to mention but a few.
Provided below with pictures and facts is key aspect of the updated segment of the report, issued
after detailed and comprehensive investigation by the authorities of the Sahara
Reporters: “General Buratai and his two wives in 2013 paid the sum of
1,498,534.00 AED (N120 million/$419,000) for the first property, Project TFG
Marina Hotel Unit 2711. Sale documents indicated that the first property was
handed over to the Buratais on January 13, 2013. On July 13, 2015, President
Muhammadu Buhari appointed General Buratai as Chief of Army Staff. Our
investigations show that, within 11 days of his appointment, the general was making
arrangements for the purchase of a second property from the same company in
Dubai. Our investigators obtained evidence that, between July 24 and August 17,
2015, General Buratai paid a total sum of N42.2 million into TFG Sigma 111’s
account in Nigeria (Skye Bank 1770380452).
Evidence exclusively obtained by SaharaReporters reveal that
General Buratai made N10 million payments on July 24 and August 7 respectively.
Three days later, another N10 million was paid into the real estate firm’s
account, The phone number on the Skye Bank teller is 08033349740
Saharareporters investigations shows that it belonged to a Nigerian Army Major
Emmanuel G. Adegbola of the Nigerian Army Finance Corps (N/10808). On August 17, 2015, the Chief of Army Staff
paid the sum of N3,270,000 into the account. Gen. TY Buratai's properties in
Nigeria Gen. TY Buratai's Farm near Abuja
Our sources within the Army disclosed that the lodgments
came from Army funds stolen and diverted by General Buratai. They explained
that the diverted monies were taken from funds budgeted for the feeding,
medical care and payment of allowances of soldiers fighting the war against
Islamist insurgents in Nigeria’s northeast zone. Gen. TY Buratai's multibillion
naiara business near Abuja
Our sources also stated that the funds for General Buratai’s
first Dubai property came from a contract awarded for the supply of vehicles
and motorcycles to the Army. They asserted that General Buratai had cornered
the contract in his days as Director of Procurement at the Army Headquarters,
using a front identified as Usman Gamawa. “The contract was awarded for the
purchase of new vehicles, but Alhaji Gamawa's Baggash Investment Limited bought
second-hand vehicles and motorcycles from Niger Republic for the use of soldiers,”
said one source. He said the purchase of substandard vehicles exposed troops
engaged counter-insurgency operations to heightened danger, made them
vulnerable to attacks by Boko Haram insurgents, and reduced their
effectiveness. General Tukur Buratai's exotic
snake farm near Abuja
Army sources disclosed that, on arrival in Nigeria, the
vehicles and motorcycles supplied by General Buratai’s front, Mr. Gamawa, were
taken for refurbishment at Mogadishu Cantonment under the supervision of one
Sergeant Dandan Garba. The deposits made at Skye Bank for Dubai property number
2
Angered by the deplorable state of the vehicles and
motorcycles, a group known as Concerned Soldiers and Officers From The
Northeast petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari to demand an investigation into
the financial malfeasance perpetrated by General Buratai. A member of the group
told SaharaReporters that they want President Buhari to ask General Buratai to
explain where he got money for his various assets, including the real estate in
Dubai. He said the COAS also owns a huge industrial-scale farm, Tukur and Tukur
Farm Limited, on the Abuja-Keffi Expressway. “The farm is currently a huge
construction site, featuring a tarred road, a zoo, a guesthouse, chalets, a
restaurant, a cinema hall, a mini-stadium and other leisure facilities,” said
the source, adding that some of the equipment on the site belongs to the Army”.
The lame duck and defenseless position taken by the Buhari
administration on the high profile criminality under reference has further
exposed its gross insincerity in its so called “fight against corruption” and
extensively vindicated those who maintain till date that the Buhari
administration is not only corruption friendly but also hides under “anti
corruption” to persecute and humiliate its opponents. On account of such facts
laden and strong accusations leveled against a serving military officer, what a
reasonable and popular government should have done is to relieve the accused of
his duties immediately and subject him and his accusers to further thorough and
conclusive investigations and diligent prosecution so as to retain public trust
and confidence as well as to proof to members of the international community
and other serving public officials that there is no immunity for political
corruption and abuse of office.
By shamelessly informing Nigerians and members of the
international community that the COAS, Lt Turkur Buratai, “was transparent in
his acquisition and ownership of the corrupt properties, locally and
internationally, having declared them more than one to army and Code of Conduct
in his Assets Declaration Forms”; the Buhari administration is also telling
Nigerians and members of the international community that once a public
official loots the public funds by way of cash or acquisition and ownership of
illicit properties locally or internationally or both and have them declared in
his or her Assets Declaration Forms; he or she is immune from criminal
investigation and prosecution over corruption; and that any Nigerian public
official including a serving soldier can acquire as many illicit foreign and
local properties or steal billions from public coffers as possible and go scot
free, provided he or she includes them in his or her Assets Declaration Forms.
If this is so, why then is Buhari administration arresting
and detaining dozens of Nigerians unconstitutionally with many spending as much
as over 90 days or three months in pretrial detentions without formal charge
and trial? Why is Buhari administration threatening and intimidating judges
over the bail proceedings of those processing their judicial bails after long
and months of unconstitutional detentions?
From our extensive investigations, Nigeria’s criminal
justice codes contain over 22 anti corruption institutions and numerous
provisions. One of such numerous provisions applicable in Lt Gen Turkur
Buratai’s illicit properties’ case is Section 17 (1) of the Economic &
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Establishment Act of 2004 (2002). It clearly
provides as follows: A person who, without lawful authority
(a) engages in the acquisition, possession or use of
property knowing at the time of its acquisition, possession or use that such
property was derived from any offence referred to in this section, or
(b) engages in the management, organisation of financing of
any of the offences under this Act; or
(c) engages in the conversion or transfer of property
knowing that such property is derived from any offence under this Act; or
(d) engages in the concealment or disguise of the true
nature, source, location, disposition, movement, rights with respect to or
ownership of property knowing that such property is derive4 from any offence
referred to in this section, commits an offence under this Act and is liable on
conviction to the penalties provided in Subsection (2) of this section.
(2) The penalties for offences under subsection (I) of this section
shall be imprisonment for a term not less than fifteen years and not exceeding
twenty-five years.
Also, Section 12 (1)
of the Independent Corrupt Practices
& Other Related Offences (ICPC) Establishment Act of 2004 (2000) provides as
follows: Any person who, being employed in the public service, knowingly
acquires or holds, directly or indirectly, otherwise than as a member of a
registered joint stock company consisting of more than twenty (20) persons, a
private interest in any contract, agreement or investment emanating from or
connected with the department or office in which he is employed or which is
made on account of the public service, is guilty of an offence, and shall on
conviction be liable to imprisonment for seven (7) years.
Further, by military tradition, doctrine and convention, a
serving military officer is forbidden from acquiring and owning properties
locally and internationally while still serving. Lt Gen Tukur Buratai as a
soldier and serving military officer in Nigeria has been under the payroll and
upkeep of the Federal Republic of Nigeria since he was enlisted into the
Nigerian Army on 3rd January 1981. All his NDA and post NDA academic and local
and foreign in-service training expenses are borne by the Federal Republic of
Nigeria till date using tax payers and other public funds. His official
leisure, shelter, clothing, accommodation, medical, feeding and family expenses
are also borne by the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
While on international peacekeeping duties, his office and
personal upkeep are borne by the UN and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. On
retirement, Lt Gen Turkur Buratai is also entitled to specified gratuities and
other emoluments as a retiring public official. He is pensionable too. These
explain why he has no excuse under the law and convention to engage in looting
public funds, not to talk of acquiring and owning multi-billion house estates
and industrial-size farm.
We therefore seize this opportunity to commend and
congratulate the authorities of Sahara Reporters for their excellent
investigatory report, clad with pictures, dates and indisputable statistics.
Their latest update is also commendable. With this reports of theirs, the
Sahara Reporters may most likely re-launch itself successfully into
detribalized popularity and readership acceptance among Nigerians of limitless
tribe, religion, language and culture; if sustained.
The online media owned by Nigerians are also congratulated
exceptionally for providing effective checks on democratic excesses. They have
also taken over the democratic checks and balances functions hitherto performed
by traditional newspaper, radio and television media establishments in Nigeria,
now hijacked and owned by corrupt serving and former public office holders.
Exception to this, deserving our special commendation is the authorities of the
Vanguard Newspaper. We Say: Keep the candle of light and freedom burning
ceaselessly and remember: evil triumphed where good people slumbered!
It is extremely important to remind the mass media their
sacred roles as clearly spelt out by Section 22 of the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, which directs them as follows: “the Press,
radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be
free to uphold the Fundamental Objectives contained in this Chapter and uphold
the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the People”.
It is on these notes that we firmly call on the Government
of Gen Muhammadu Buhari to sack the COAS, Lt Gen Turkur Buratai and subject him
to thorough and conclusive investigation for the purpose of possibly unearthing
other loots and illicit properties in his name and ownership and making him to
face the law so as to serve as a deterrent to others and retain public
confidence and trust as per fight against corruption (if any). In the event the
COAS continues to be shielded, defended and protected by the Buhari
administration, then all those in detention over the accusations of
“corruption” should be freed, apologised to and heavily compensated. To be
freed too are those detained over false accusation of treason and treasonable
felony. We will further take it to mean that the Buhari administration has lost
moral uprightness and should therefore resign from office.
Signed:
For: Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations
(SBCHROs)
Emeka Umeagbalasi, Leader SBCHROs & Board Chair,
Intersociety
Mobile Line: +2348174090052
Comrade Aloysius Attah, Chair, Anambra CLO & Head,
Publicity, SBCHROs
Mobile Line: +2348035090548
Jerry Chukwuokoro, PhD, Head, Research & Strategy,
SBCHROs
Mobile Line: +2348035372962
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