Former Senate Leader and Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has denied media reports attributed to him that former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Tukur Buratai, narrowly escaped death as his convoy was attacked last Friday in Borno state by Boko Haram insurgents.
He was reported to have made the alleged revelation while speaking on Sunday on Channels TV monitored programme, Politics Today.
Ndume, in a statement on Tuesday, however, dismissed the media reports as misleading and a misrepresentation of what he said.
The former Senate Chief Whip, in the statement he personally signed, clarified that “it was Buratai town in Borno state that was attacked, not the person of the erstwhile Chief of Army Staff.”
Checks revealed that the former Chief of Army Staff is incidentally from Buratai town in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State.
The federal lawmaker further noted that what he said on Channels Television while speaking on security was that ” Even two days ago, Buratai (town) was attacked in front of the operations base in Borno. But the soldiers stood up to them, but they (the attackers) burnt down some of our assets. Normally, these days, they burn assets like Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs), tanks, and heavy-duty machine guns that we have, and sometimes, they steal some of this equipment and go with it.
“The situation is getting terrible in Borno; the situation is bad in all six geo-political zones, except in the south. Even south-south, we are grappling with economic sabotage like oil theft.
Southwest is the only region that is relatively safe.”
The former Senate leader appealed to journalists to avoid misrepresentation in news reporting to avoid the embarrassing effect on politically exposed individuals and the integrity of such media organisations.
“I am surprised that the town of Buratai could be misconstrued as the person of General Buratai, who incidentally hails from the town.”
Meanwhile this is a statement issued by former Army Spokesperson Gen SK Usman rtd on the matter
DISREGARD FAKE NEWS: HIS EXCELLENCY LT GEN TY BURATAI (RTD) CFR, BETARA OF BIU, IS SAFE AND CELEBRATED EID IN ABUJA
In light of the recent mischievous and utterly false reports circulating on certain online platforms, I wish to categorically state that His Excellency Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai (Rtd) CFR, Betara of Biu, Garkuwan Keffi, former Chief of Army Staff and former Nigerian Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, was not attacked in any way, contrary to what has been falsely reported by some online media outlets.
For the avoidance of doubt, he celebrated the Eid festivities peacefully in Abuja, in the company of family, friends, and well-wishers, and I have remained within the Federal Capital Territory since then.
This baseless rumour is a product of the reckless imagination of the purveyors of fake news, individuals whose sole aim is to malign him, spread fear, confusion and misinformation. The fabricators of these actions are not only mischievous but also deeply irresponsible and must be condemned in the strongest terms.
I sincerely extend my heartfelt and profound appreciation to the countless patriotic and well-meaning Nigerians, friends, associates and admirers of His Excelkency, who reached out with genuine concern, prayers and goodwill. Your overwhelming show of love and support is deeply cherished and speaks volumes about the enduring respect and affection we are privileged to receive from across the country and beyond.
Let this serve as a reminder to the harbingers of fake news, that truth will always prevail. No amount of falsehood or malicious propaganda can tarnish the image of a man who has devoted his life to the service of our great nation.
SK Usman mni fnipr
Abuja
Monday 9th June 2025