…As SSG Writes Lawyers
By John Nwokocha, Abuja
The Katsina state government has refuted the allegation of cash gift of Two hundred and fifty million naira (N250 million) to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, by one Mahadi Shehu, in Katsina state.
The state government in a written rebuttal to its lawyers titled: MAHADI SHEHU’S SPURIOUS ALLEGATIONS ON MISAPPROPIRATION OF PUBLIC FUNDS BY KATSINA STATE GOVERNMENT absolved itself and the chief of army staff maintaining it did not give any money to Buratai during his official visit to the state.
Addressed to lawyers to Buratai, Osuagu Ogochukwu, Esq, Solicitors and Advocates, the rebuttal, a two-page document dated 15th July, 2020, and signed by the Secretary to the Government of the State, Mustapha Mohammed Inuwa and obtained by The New Narrative Newspapers, describes the allegation as “spurious”, stressing “it was slanderous, evil and campaign of calumny by Mahadi’s reckless and malicious which was only a figment of his imagination”.
It added that it was borne out of political vendetta intended to rubbish the state government’s integrity as well as a sinister scheme to drag the “esteemed personality of General Buratai into unnecessary diversionary controversy for reasons best known to him.”
The letter stated further: “As you might have heard, this is just one out of series of other allegations by the said Mahadi against the state government.” Insisting that “However, Katsina State Government and Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai certainly know that nothing of such nature has happened”, it assures of the state government’s resolve to ensure that it explores all options to protect both its integrity and that of Buratai, “Mahadi’s unwholesome antecedents notwithstanding” .
