The Nigerian Army authorities have explained that the libel suit against Premium Times was instituted by the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai in his personal capacity, not in in his capacity of COAS.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Director of Army Public Relations, Sani Usman, explained that the impressions being created by the online newspaper to the effect that it was being sued by the Nigerian Army was “erroneous” and was only intended “to whip up sentiments.”
Usman Stated: “We wish to clarify that the issue at hand is purely allegation of libel in which Premium Times falsely and unjustifiably accused the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai, of false declaration of assets, owning mansions and estates in Dubai and further stated that he was being investigated by Code of Conduct Bureau for false declaration of assets in their publication of 12th December, 2015.
Consequently, concerted efforts were made to make Premium Times retract the story and apologize, to no avail.
“As a law-abiding citizen, he (Buratai) took appropriate legal steps of seeking redress through the courts.
“Therefore, this case is between the person of Lieutenant General TY Buratai and the Premium Times and not the Nigerian Army; the issue at hand is libel and not about disclosure of military information by the medium.”
Usman however added that “The case between the Nigerian Army and the Premium Times, of jeopardizing military operations, fraudulently obtaining and disclosure of military information that led to deaths and loss of equipment, is still in the offing.”
The Nigerian Army and the online newspaper, Premium Times have been at daggers drawn recently with the former accusing the latter of always publishing “negative stories” about it.
Only few days ago, a team of plain clothed police men stormed the office premises of Premium Times, reportedly acting on a complaint against the media organization by the Chief of Army Staff, Buratai.
The Policemen, after allegedly ransacking the paper’s office, arrested its publisher, Dapo Olorunyomi, and the judiciary correspondent, Evelyn Okakwu. Both were briefly detained and later released.
Olorunyomi in a TV interview explained that the Story published by Premium Times about Buratai’s assets declaration was “sourced from a petition that a Civil Society Organisation, CSO, in Lagos wrote to the Code of Conduct Bureau.”
He said that the Lagos-based group wanted to know why Buratai was not being investigated despite “the grave allegations around him which bothered on some form of corruption.”
“The code of conduct replied that basically, the Chief of Army Staff was busy prosecuting a war and they would rather not interfere with that assignment but that once he was through with the assignment, they would like to call him in regarding the petition,” Olorunyomi said.
“And then of course the army was upset, describing it as a libel … The kind of things that people in power try to do always; and they demanded apology which we weren’t going to offer!” he added.