Only Minister of Defence has the power to purchase arms – Buratai’s legal advisor
By Collins Mbakwe
Osuagwu Ugochukwu, the Legal Advisor to the former Chief of Army Staff, Amb. T.Y. Buratai has said that only the Minister of Defence has the power to purchase arms.
This is coming on the heels of a recent report published by Sahara reporters, titled: “EXCLUSIVE: Anti-graft Agency, ICPC Uncovers Billions In Cash Meant For Arms, Ammunition To Fight Boko Haram In Abuja Home Of Ex-Chief Of Army Staff, Buratai”
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In a press statement inked by the ex-COAS’ Legal Advisor and made available to newsmen, Osuagwu, while rubbishing the report, described it as false, concocted, and malicious.
Furthering, the press statement disclosed, “It is on record that on or about 5th April 2018 President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the purchase of equipment worth $1bn for the military through the Ministry of Defence.
It is a fact that the first batch of Six Super Tucano fighter jets arrived in Nigeria on July 22, 2021, while a final batch of the 12 A-29 Super Tucano fighter jets arrived on October 18, 2021.
No fund for arms is ever missing contrary to some previous mischievous publications.
For the records, no such amount (#850M or any similar sum) was found with Ambassador Buratai nor does he has any Aide bearing such name.
Ambassador Buratai has no office or house in Wuse Abuja(address not supplied by SR) nor does he has any bulletproof cars, BMW, G-Wagon (Particulars of the vehicle not also supplied by SR) worth N450m and neither is ICPC investigating any such.
The statement, therefore, views the Sahara report as an orchestrated act aimed at tarnishing the image of LT General T.Y Buratai.
“And we shall take all legal steps to hold the publishers accountable for such grievous character assassination on the image of LT.T.Y Buratai(RTD),” it concluded.
