A former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, has stated that he cannot be held responsible for the failure to disclose the identities of individuals allegedly funding terrorism in Nigeria.
He maintained that those behind the financing of insurgent activities are known within the system, but the decision to make their names public rests with relevant authorities.
Speaking on Politics Today on Friday, the retired lieutenant general explained that security agencies are fully aware of the suspects but have their reasons for not unveiling them.
According to him, “The issue is not about mentioning names. The appropriate agencies understand why such information has not been disclosed, but the key thing is that action should be taken since these individuals are still part of society.”
Buratai stressed that his responsibility was limited to military operations, noting that decisions outside the scope of the Nigerian Army should not be attributed to him.
He also clarified that the rehabilitation of surrendered members of Boko Haram was initiated by the Federal Government, rather than the military authorities.
He explained that the army had earlier introduced a window in 2016 for insurgents willing to lay down their arms, after which those who surrendered were transferred to appropriate agencies for reintegration programmes.
The former ambassador expressed concern over the lingering security challenges in the country, urging the government to enhance intelligence efforts to curb terrorism and related threats.
He further called for the recruitment of more security personnel to strengthen the nation’s capacity to tackle insecurity.
There have been sustained calls for the exposure of terrorism sponsors, particularly after the Federal Government disclosed in 2021 that several individuals and organisations linked to such activities had been identified.
Despite these claims and investigations by agencies including the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, the identities of the alleged financiers have not been made public, drawing criticism from observers who argue that transparency is necessary to ensure accountability.
Nigeria has continued to battle insurgency in the North-East for years, with Boko Haram and its splinter groups blamed for thousands of deaths and large-scale displacement.
