Fresh reports hitting the desk of Africa Today News, New York have revealed that the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA has on Wednesday, made revealations that it has uncovered a systematically hatched and well-coordinated conspiracy through a media campaign by some Abuja moneybags and elites who have made the insistence of smearing the reputation of the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai (retd.) over some recently recovered funds.
Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, who is HURIWA’s National Coordinator, had in a statement, urged the targetted media not to fall for the sponsored coordinated attacks against the former COAS Buratai despite the fact that the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has not indicted him of any corruption allegation.
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Afric Today News, New York recalls that the ICPC busted the Wuse house of a military contractor and made some startling discoveries and went ahead to clarify that Buratai had nothing to do with it. The group said it has in authority that some groups have continued to pressure the ICPC to change the outcome of the investigation so as to name Buratai as the owner.
HURIWA said this is in clear violations of the global best practices and the ethics, adding that these groups are apparently purchased and paid by the a retired military General who is a senior aide of President Muhammadu Buhari.
HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “We have on good authority that a retired military general working directly in the office of President Muhammadu Buhari has been sponsoring a campaign of calumny against retired Lt. Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai with a criminal attempt to link his name with the ownership of the house in Wuse in which it was said that ICPC found some amount from a military defence contractor.
“HURIWA also have on good authority that the retired military officer in Presidency allegedly released N10 million to some Abuja and Lagos-based groups with extensive contacts within the Nigerian press to continue the campaign of calumny against General Buratai all in an attempt to sully his image.
“The reason for doing is his perception that Lt.Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai may have been pencilled down as potential running mate to the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress given that the former Army Chief since retiring has devoted substantial part of his time and resources supporting and building up the All Progressives Congress in all nooks and cronies of the North East, North West and North Central regions of Nigeria and is not known to be fanatically attached to his religion but he is a profoundly regarded nationalist.
“The retired general is apparently threatened by the rising profile of General Buratai has he is being pencilled down as potential running mate to the All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The military retired General who is bankrolling this campaign of calumny is also accused of several heists of public funds which he has denied publicly.
“HURIWA warned that civil society organisations should live by the ethics of professional conducts and not be used by moneybags to achieve selfish motives. Besides, HURIWA said a coalition of activists determined to restore sanity and professional ethics of the media practice are meeting to institute a class suit to try to stop some notorious media houses from spreading fake news.
“General Buratai is also encouraged to pursue legal action against defamatory reports against his person.”