A former Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai (rtd), has paid glowing tribute to the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, saying he remains eternally grateful to God for the opportunity to serve under him.
Speaking in an interview with Channels Television monitored in Lagos, Buratai described Buhari as a leader who served Nigeria with uncommon diligence and commitment to national unity.
“He served this country diligently. He was committed to keeping Nigeria as one,” Buratai said.
Recalling the situation when Buhari assumed office in 2015, Buratai said, “There was a general breakdown of law and order. Bombings were widespread, from Maiduguri to Potiskum, including Abuja. I’m glad I served under him as Chief of Army Staff.”
He revealed that his first interaction with Buhari was informal while he was still in school during Buhari’s first term as Head of State. But upon Buhari’s inauguration in 2015, he issued a decisive directive.
“Immediately he was sworn in, he directed that the command and control centre of the Nigerian Army be relocated to the epicentre of the insurgency in the Northeast. I relocated there, and we worked tirelessly. We recovered all 17 local government areas under Boko Haram and significantly degraded their capacity.”
Buratai also reflected on his exit from the Army in 2021, noting that he was still directing operations in Maiduguri when he was summoned to hand over to his successor.
“Buhari’s style was unique. Once he gave you a task, he also gave you a free hand to implement it. The calls for my removal were political and personal. President Buhari never listened to the cacophony of voices because he understood what we were doing,” he added.
He expressed appreciation for Buhari’s gesture in appointing him and other former service chiefs as ambassadors after their retirement, stating, “We were always around him because he appreciated our efforts.”
On the current security situation, Buratai expressed confidence in the capability of the present service chiefs and commended President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to secure the country.
“We are ahead of many countries, including South Africa, in terms of armament and warfare. President Buhari professionalized the military and provided us with modern equipment.”
Addressing concerns about the lingering insurgency, Buratai expressed optimism, citing examples from other countries.
“Colombia has been battling insurgency for over 50 years. I’ve been there and to Bangladesh. Fortunately, we won’t get that far. The military is making steady progress, and I believe insurgency will soon be a thing of the past,” he said.
