The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, on Wednesday, failed to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions over a petition submitted by a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, Abdulfatai Mohammed.
The retired Lieutenant Colonel had alleged that the Army forcefully retired him in June 2016 without explanation after 22 years of service.
At the hearing, an Army officer who introduced himself as Major Daniel from the Legal Services Department spoke as representative of Mr. Buratai.
Infuriated by this, chairman of the committee, Samuel Anyanwu, expressed disappointment that despite his efforts and ‘due respect’ to the Chief of Army Staff, he decided to ignore the invitation.
His words: “I was called last week by my clerk that the Chief of Army Staff said I should personally sign the invitation letter before he can attend to us and I did. I find it difficult to believe that he didn’t honour our invitation. We also have a General as member of this committee and he deemed it fit not to come here to listen to us.
“The last time we invited the Chief of Air Force, he was here in person. The same thing with Navy. I respect you and your position as a major, but tell whoever sent you that we are not going to listen to you.”
Another member of the committee, Ovie Omo Agege, said: “If you like, you can be anything, sending you here instead of appearing is insulting. He is insulting us by this act,” he said.
