The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has opened up on the acquisition of $1.5 million mansions by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai.
The bureau said its records showed that the assets of Buratai in Dubai were declared in his wife’s name.
The CCB made the clarification in a July 11 letter by Mrs. Ijeanuli Arinze Ofor, to Ugochukwu Osuagwu of St. Francis Xavier Solicitors and Advocates in Abuja.
Osuagwu had requested information on Buratai “pursuant to Section 1 and 4 of the Freedom of Information Act 2011.
The CCB said: “We refer to your mail dated Jun 29, 2016. We wish to state here that Gen. Tukar Yusuf Buratai, after his appointment as the Chief of Army Staff, declared his assets as required by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“He was served the Form CCB-I on July 21, 2015, and returned same on August 21, 2015.
“We also wish to confirm that his property at Dubai was declared in the wife’s name. Please, accept the warmest regards of the chairman.”
In a June 29, 2016, letter to the chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Osuagwu sought clarification on whether or not Buratai declared the controversial mansions.
The letter said: “We request that the CCB, pursuant to the FOI Act 2011, avail us the following concerning the declarations of Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai.
“On July 13, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Gen. Buratai as Chief of Army Staff. The newspapers are awash that Gen. Buratai and his two wives in 2013 paid 1,498,534.00 AED (N120 million/ $419,000) for a Dubai property, Project TFG Marina Hotel, Unit 2711.
“Sale documents indicated that the property was handed over to the Buratais on January 13, 2013, prior to his appointment as the Chief of Army Staff.
“For the purpose of clarity sir, we request you as follows: (1) Confirm if Gen.Tukur Yusuf Buratai declared his asset with you upon his appointment on July 13, 2015, as Chief of Army Staff; (2) Whether the above property he bought with his wife was also declared with the CCB.
“Kindly avail us a reply within the time allowed under the Freedom of Information Act 2011 as much as you can sir.”
The Executive Chairman of Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), Mr. Debo Adeniran, said assets declarations to the CCB, by public officials, should be made public for the purpose of transparency and public scrutiny.
Adeniran, who made his position known in a statement in Lagos, said public officers should not hide their assets.
He, however, asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe Gen. Buratai.
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