PDP wants Buratai’s investigation into N1.8 billion hidden in an Abuja apartment.

On Sunday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) called for an inquiry into the seizure of N1.8 billion from a private Abuja property by former Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (retd).

The money, jewels, and pricey cars that were stashed in the aforementioned property were found last week by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The property has been connected to the former army commander.

The party’s demand for Buratai’s investigation was based on a statement attributed to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major-Gen. Babagana Monguno, about a missing $1 billion set aside for the purchase of arms for troops fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East. The statement was released by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.

Buratai was the chief of army staff at the time Monguno raised the alarm on missing funds

The statement read: “That assertion by the NSA heightened suspicion on allegations of barefaced looting of money meant to equip our security forces. Such corruption under the APC administration has led to the upsurge in unhindered terrorism attacks, mass killing of citizens and loss of many of our gallant fighters in the front in the last seven years.

“It is therefore of serious interest to Nigerians when reports that the ICPC discovered the sum of N1.8 billion in various currencies, expensive cars and jewelries secreted in a property in Abuja allegedly linked to the former COAS broke out.

“This is especially against the backdrop of the frenzy and spirited efforts by certain quarters linked to the APC to suppress investigation and free flow of information, politicise the matter and sweep it under the carpet.

“Nigerians will recall that our party has on several occasions alerted that the looting of our treasury is officially sanctioned and enabled by the APC administration with its refusal to prosecute those who were alleged and found to have been involved in massive corruption.

“The prevalence of vote buying in that election by the APC was even acknowledged by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, which prompted the INEC Chairman to demand for speedy trial of those arrested for vote buying in the Ekiti State election.

“The reports of massive looting by APC leaders and their cronies in government Ministries, Departments and Agencies further confirm the APC administration as a haven for treasury looters.

“Moreover, the recently exposed looting of N80bn by the suspended Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, which investigation has now gone cold, is suspected to have been engineered by the cabal at a very high level of the APC administration.

“The PDP, standing with Nigerians, insists that Gen. Buratai should return to the country and personally face investigation to clear his name.”