The Katsina State Government has denied claims that a cash gift of N250 million was given to Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai.
The state Government issued the denial in a letter addressed to Osuagu Ugochuku, Esq of St. Francis Xavier Solicitors and Advocates, the legal counsel to General TY Buratai.
The letter from the state government disowned what it described as spurious allegation that it (gave) the Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Tukur Yusufu Buratai the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N250, 000,000:00) cash gift while on an official visit to the state sometime ago as alleged by one Mahadi Shehu.
Newsdiaryonline learnt that the letter by Katsina Govt was on response to an earlier letter by Buratai’s lawyer seeking to confirm when money was ever given to Buratai. The lawyer,it was also learnt asked the state government to furnish his office with information if money was ever released to any other officer.
However in its reply the state government said the whole saga “was slanderous, evil allegation and campaign of calumny by Mahadi’s reckless and malicious allegation which was only a figment of his imagination borne out of political vendetta to rubbish the State Government’s integrity, and a sinister plot to drag the esteemed personality of General Buratai into unnecessary diversionary controversy for reasons best known to him.”
This was contained in a letter from the Katsina State Government, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the State, signed by the Secretary to the Government of the State Mr Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa.It was addressed to Osuagu Ugochuku, the legal counsel to Gen TY Buratai.
The letter reads – “I wish to inform you of the State Government’s concern and displeasure over the slanderous and evil allegation and campaign of calumny by one Mahadi Shehu, to the effect that the Katsina State Government gave the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Yusufu Buratai the sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N250, 000,000:00). As you might have heard, this is just one out of series of other allegations by the said Mahadi against the State Government.”
“However, Katsina State Government and Lt Gen Tukur Yusufu Buratai certainly know that nothing of this nature has happened”.
“Mahadi’s reckless and malicious allegation was only a figment of his imagination borne out of political vendetta to rubbish the State Government’s integrity, and a sinister plot to drag the esteemed personality of General Buratai into unnecessary diversionary controversy for reasons best known to him.”
The letter signed by Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa Secretary to the Government of the State, further stated that, “Mahadi’s unwholesome antecedents notwithstanding, therefore, the State Government wishes to assure you of its resolve to ensure that all options are explored to protect its integrity, and that of General Buratai by extension”.
Buratai ‘s lawyer has reportedly threatened to sue to activist who levelled the allegation of cash gift against Army Chief.