Retired Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai, former Chief of Army Staff, has initiated a ₦1 billion defamation lawsuit against fellow retired officer Maj. Gen. Danjuma Hamisu Ali-Keffi at the Kaduna State High Court.
The suit, filed today at the Kaduna Judicial Division, stems from statements Ali-Keffi allegedly made in interviews during 2025, accusing Buratai of connections to terrorism financing, Boko Haram suspects, and involvement in the illegal release and concealment of terror suspects during his tenure.
Represented by lawyers A.I. Aliyu and A.M. Hassan of Law Plus Consult, Buratai seeks court declarations that the statements widely published on online platforms and circulated across social media including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), WhatsApp, and Instagram are false, malicious, and damaging to his reputation.In his claim, Buratai asserts that the allegations are baseless, emphasizing that he has never been investigated, indicted, or convicted of any terrorism-related offenses.
He argues that the claims paint him as corrupt, unpatriotic, and a threat to national security, causing significant harm to his standing both in Nigeria and internationally.
Buratai further contends that Ali-Keffi acted recklessly, even while acknowledging in the same publications that no formal investigation had linked him to terrorism financing.
The former army chief is demanding:
- An immediate retraction of the statements and a prominent public apology in Sahara Reporters, two national newspapers, and all platforms where the allegations appeared.
- ₦1 billion in general damages for libel, considering the severity of the accusations, their extensive reach, and the defendant's status as a senior retired officer.
- A perpetual injunction preventing further publication of similar claims.
- Full coverage of legal costs, including solicitor fees.
The court has directed Ali-Keffi to respond within 21 days, or the case may proceed without him.
No hearing date has been set yet, and the defendant has not responded to the suit as of this report.
This legal action follows public allegations by Ali-Keffi in late 2025, which Buratai previously dismissed as unfounded.
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