From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to recall the Nigerian Ambassador to Benin Republic, Tukur Buratai, to face probe over alleged connection with the N1.8 billion recovered in a property, in Abuja, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), recently.
PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, yesterday, said its demand is predicated on an alleged claim by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, that $1 billion drawn from the national coffers for the purchase of arms to fight terrorism in the country, under the current administration, could allegedly not be traced.
According to the opposition party, “it is, therefore, of serious interest to Nigerians when reports that the ICPC discovered N1.8 billion in various currencies, expensive cars and jewelries secreted in a property in Abuja, allegedly linked to Buratai broke out.
“There are already apprehensions that the discovered money is part of the security fund that was criminally diverted. This is especially against the backdrop of the frenzy and spirited efforts by certain quarters linked to the All Progressives Congress (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 PDP further stated that the N80 billion case in which the suspended accountant general of the federation, Ahmed Idris, is allegedly involved which investigation “has now gone cold is suspected to have been engineered by the cabal at very high level of the APC administration.
“The PDP, standing with Nigerians, insists that Buratai should return to the country and personally face investigation to clear his name.
“This is because any allegation bordering on looting of funds meant for the fight against terrorism is of grave national concern and consequence. It must be thoroughly investigated and anybody found wanting must be made to face the full weight of the law no matter how highly placed,” the PDP said.