Buratai Rejects Terrorism Financing Claims, Demands Retraction and Apology

Former Chief of Army Staff and Ambassador to Benin Republic, Lt.-General Tukur Buratai (rtd), has rejected claims linking him to terrorism financing, describing the allegations as entirely false and malicious.

In a statement released on Saturday and signed by his former Army spokesperson, Brig.-General Sani Kukasheka Usman, Buratai said the insinuation is inconsistent with facts and contradicts his lifelong commitment to defending Nigeria against terrorism. The statement followed an online report connecting him and other prominent figures to terrorism financiers.

The statement stressed that at no time in his career was Buratai ever investigated, questioned, or associated with terrorism financing by any official body, including security agencies, intelligence services, judicial panels, or oversight institutions.

It also criticized Sahara Reporters for relying solely on the unverified claims of Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi (rtd), calling the publication a “misrepresentation borne out of malice” with no factual or legal basis.

Buratai’s statement highlighted his four decades of service, noting his leadership in significantly weakening Boko Haram and ISWAP, reclaiming territories, restoring civil administration, and facilitating the return of displaced Nigerians.

“It defies logic to suggest that the same person who led decisive actions against terrorism could be connected to the very elements he spent his career fighting,” the statement said.

The statement concluded by demanding that Sahara Reporters and Major General Ali-Keffi retract the publication and issue a public apology, warning that failure to comply would force Buratai to pursue legal action to protect his reputation.