The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to recall the former chief of army staff (COAS) and Nigeria’s ambassador to the Benin Republic, Tukur Buratai, to face investigations and clear his name over his alleged connection to the N1.8bn recovered in Abuja.
The money was recovered in a property in Abuja by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), recently.
Debo Ologunagba, the national publicity secretary of the PDP, in a statement on Sunday, said it was in the interest of the country that Burutai, a retired military general be made to clear his name, following claims by the national security adviser that the $1billion released for the procurement of arms under Burutai’s leadership could not be traced
“The PDP’s demand for the recall and investigation of Buratai is predicated on the earlier assertion by the national security adviser, Babagana Monguno, after the exit of Buratai as COAS that the $1bn drawn from the national coffers under the APC administration for the purchase of arms to fight terrorism in our country could not be traced.
The party said the assertion by Monguno heightened suspicion on allegations of barefaced looting of money meant to equip our security forces.
“Such corruption under the APC administration has led to the upsurge in unhindered terrorism attacks, mass killing of citizens and loss of many of our gallant fighters in the last seven years.
“It is, therefore, of serious interest to Nigerians when reports that the ICPC discovered the sum of N1.8 billion in various currencies, expensive cars and jewelries secreted in a property in Abuja allegedly linked to the former COAS broke out.
The PDP also noted that “there are already apprehensions that the discovered money is part of the security fund that was criminally diverted.
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“This is especially against the backdrop of the frenzy and spirited efforts in certain quarters linked to the APC to suppress investigation and free flow of information, politicise the matter and sweep it under the carpet.
“Nigerians will recall that our party has on several occasions alerted that the looting of our treasury is officially sanctioned and enabled by the APC administration with its refusal to prosecute those who were alleged and found to have been involved in massive corruption.
“It would also be recalled that the PDP drew attention to plans of the APC to create a slush fund account from monies fraudulently drawn from the national treasury to finance their plot to rig the 2023 general elections.
“This is evidenced by the massive use of money by the APC to prosecute a vote-buying scheme in the recent Ekiti State governorship election.
The PDP also traced the prevalence of vote-buying in that election by the APC, to the massive looting of the treasury by chieftains of the party.
“This was even acknowledged by the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Yakubu Mahmood, which prompted the INEC chairman to demand speedy trial of those arrested for vote-buying in the Ekiti State election.
According to the PDP, “the reports of massive looting by APC leaders and their cronies in government ministries, departments and agencies further confirm the APC administration as a haven for treasury looters.
“Moreover, the recently exposed looting of N80bn by the suspended accountant-general of the federation, Ahmed Idris, which investigation has now gone cold is suspected to have been engineered by the cabal at a high level of the APC administration.
The party said it is standing with Nigerians, on the issue, even as it insists that Buratai should return to the country and personally face investigation to clear his name.
“This is because any allegation bordering on the looting of funds meant for the fight against terrorism is of grave national concern and consequence. It must be thoroughly investigated and anybody found wanting must be made to face the full weight of the law no matter how highly placed”
