Former Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Azubuike Ihejirika, has denied being a financier or supporter of the Boko Haram terrorist group that has ravaged Nigeria’s Northeast for a long time.

Ihejirika made the denial at an FCT High Court on Thursday, adding that his job as the COAS was to ensure that the terrorists were wiped out.

The embattled former COAS, had sued one Nduka Obaigbena, Leaders and Company Limited, and Stephen Davis, an Australian who claimed to be a hostage negotiator working for the release of the Chibok girls for alleging that he was one of the financiers of Boko Haram.

He is claiming N100 billion in damages from the defendants for defamation in the interview granted by Davis to a television station and published by a popular daily newspaper.

He also asked for a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from further defamatory comments concerning him.

Ihejirika wants the defendants to also publish a full retraction and apology in the front page of a Nigerian Newspaper for the said false and libelous publication.

Responding to cross examination by counsel to the defendants, Frank Chude, on Thursday, the former Army Chief said that his duties as an Army General was always in the public domain, adding that he fought Boko haram because they were terrorists and enemies of the country.

He admitted that his name was not mentioned in the said interview but said he was the only Chief of Army Staff that retired in January 2014 as mentioned in the tape.

Ihejirika also stated that he never granted any interview to the Newspaper that published the report but had read about the publication when his attention was drawn to it.

Justice Valentine Ashi adjourned the case till November 2 and November 3 for continuation of cross examination and defence.

It would be recalled that Davis, a self-acclaimed boko haram negotiator had sometime in 2014 granted an interview to Arise TV, which was aired in Abuja and published by some newspapers.

He told his interviewers that a former Chief of Army Staff who retired in January 2014 was actually sacked by the president because he was a sponsor of the Boko Haram sect.

Davis said that his source was a Boko Haram senior commander who named the sponsors.