By John Owen Nwachukwu Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, on Wednesday, said it has uncovered a systematically hat...
By John Owen Nwachukwu
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, on
Wednesday, said it has uncovered a systematically hatched and well-coordinated
media campaign by some Abuja moneybags who have insisted on smearing the
reputation of the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai (retd.).
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, in
a statement, urged the media not to fall for the sponsored coordinated attacks
against Buratai despite the fact that the Independent Corrupt Practices and
other related offences Commission (ICPC) has not indicted him of any corruption
allegation.
Recall 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.”
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