By Joshua Oladipo
A traditional ruler in Osun, the Olowu of Kuta, Oba Hammed Makama, has warned against campaign of calumny against the former Army Chief of Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai.
Oba Makama, while addressing a news conference on Tuesday in his palace in Kuta town, said that a smear campaign against Buratai, that huge cash and other luxury items were recovered from his Abuja residence by ICPC, was malicious.
The traditional ruler said though the ICPC official statement had confirmed that Buratai had no link with the property, it was necessary to correct the misinformation in the public domain.
” After several unsuccessful attempts to get him removed, attempts to get him removed before his time, they have now begun to run a smear campaign against him.
They are doing this “by ascribing the ownership of a house in Wuse, Abuja, where operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices raided and recovered huge cash and other luxury items to him”.
” The misinforming reports, I stand to confirm, is purely malicious and another fabricated tale published to tarnish Buratai’s brilliant image.
” But this has failed, because the ICPC’s official public statement has confirmed that Buratai has no link with the said property or the cash and other items found in the building,” he said.
The traditional ruler said that credible information had it that several faceless NGOs had been paid to embark on campaign of calumny and destruction against Buratai.
” I make bold to say that Ambassador Buratai remains a man of immense honour.
Therefore, he needs the support of all well-meaning Nigerians to succeed in his current assignment, not withstanding the avoidable distractions.
” Ambassador Buratai has and still serving Nigeria without any blemish despite the unwarranted attacks, having chosen to serve without bias, which is fetching him recommendation,” he said.
Oba Makama, however, called on Nigerians to support Buratai in his new assignment as an Ambassador, rather than joining in the ‘pull him down’ antics against his honour and dignity.
