‘Army has complied with assets declaration’

THE Nigerian military said it has fully complied with the presidential directives to its officers to make public declaration of their assets with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

The immediate compliance, according to the military, was a proof that its personnel are men and women of integrity.

Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Tukur Buratai, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar, had issued a directive to officers under their respective command to embark on assets declaration exercise following the alarming discovery of looted funds by some serving and retired military officers who are currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

However, Daily Sun gathered that the directive was specifically for officers holding command positions in their respective services.

A source who spoke to Daily Sun on condition of anonymity, said the reason for issuing the directive to only officers holding command position, is to enable the service know what the assets they had before they were appointed to such positions and what they end up acquiring when they are eventually posted out.

The directive which was issued in January, by the service chiefs, has seen most of the officers reporting to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), where they were also issued with certificates of assets declaration by the bureau.

Daily Sun, gathered that the exercise was assigned to the services department of administration where the officers were asked to report before proceeding to the CCB office.

Daily Sun also gathered that the Chief Of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, was among the very first army officers who declared his assets at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), in May 2015, when he was appointed Commander, Multinational Joint Task Force and in July 2015, when he was appointed Chief of Army Staff.

Most of the officers who have complied with the directive proudly showed off their certificate which they did not allow the reporter to photograph.

They said while they had issues when the order was given, they are now happy to have acquired the clearance certificates as it would enable them go into genuine business and even politics when they eventually retire from service without being accused wrongly.