Former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai has filed a defamation lawsuit seeking N1 billion against a retired major general and former General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Nigerian Army’s 1st Division, Danjuma Ali-Keffi
The lawsuit, filed in a Kaduna State High Court on Thursday, arises from statements allegedly made by Ali-Keffi and disseminated through online media, which associated Buratai with financing terrorism, harboring Boko Haram suspects, and improperly releasing and protecting terror suspects.
Buratai, represented by his lawyers A. I. Aliyu and A. M. Hassan is asking the court to declare that the claims published by Sahara Reporters and shared widely on various news and social media platforms are false, malicious, and damaging to his reputation.
The former army chief accused Ali-Keffi of giving interviews in 2025, where he purportedly implied that Buratai had connections with individuals involved in terrorism and was engaged in concealing terrorism-related activities during his tenure as chief of army staff.
Buratai contends that these allegations have spread widely across digital platforms such as Facebook, X, WhatsApp, and Instagram, subjecting him to public ridicule and harming his reputation both domestically and internationally.
In his claim, Buratai asserts that he has never been investigated, charged, or convicted of terrorism, terrorism financing, or any related offenses, labeling the accusations as unfounded and misleading.
He argued that the statements depict him as “a threat to national security, an unpatriotic citizen, and a corrupt public official,” which he claims have significantly damaged his integrity, honor, and standing in the global community.
Buratai alleges that Ali-Keffi acted with malice and a reckless disregard for the truth, even while acknowledging in the same publications that no official investigation had implicated Buratai in terrorism financing.
He is requesting the court to order Ali-Keffi to retract the statements and issue a public apology, which should be published prominently in Sahara Reporters, two national newspapers, and across all social media platforms where the allegations were shared.
Additionally, he seeks N1 billion in general damages for libel, citing the seriousness of the terrorism-related claims, their widespread dissemination, and the influence of the defendant’s position as a retired senior military officer.
Buratai also requests a permanent injunction to prevent Ali-Keffi from making or repeating the alleged defamatory statements and to require him to cover all litigation costs, including legal fees.
The court summons instructs the defendant to respond within 21 days of being served, or the court may proceed with the case in his absence.
