Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai (retd.), has urged Nigerians to resist what he described as foreign interference in the country’s internal affairs.
Gen Buratai’s comments come amid renewed moves to release documents allegedly linked to past drug-trafficking investigations involving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu more than three decades ago.
The former army chief said Nigerians should be cautious about allowing external interests to influence the country’s political and national affairs, stressing the need to protect Nigeria’s sovereignty.
The controversy follows reports of efforts to make public documents relating to investigations allegedly conducted by United States authorities in the early 1990s. The documents have generated renewed political debate in Nigeria, particularly over their potential implications for President Tinubu.
Buratai, who served as Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff from 2015 to 2021, called on Nigerians to approach the matter with patriotism and a clear understanding of the wider national interest.
He argued that Nigeria’s affairs should primarily be determined by its citizens and institutions, rather than by external actors or foreign governments.
The former army chief’s intervention comes at a politically sensitive time, with preparations already beginning to intensify ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The allegations surrounding the president have previously been the subject of political controversy, with supporters and opponents offering sharply contrasting interpretations of the available records.
President Tinubu has consistently denied wrongdoing, while his administration has maintained that attempts to revive decades-old allegations are politically motivated.
The renewed debate over the documents has nevertheless reignited questions about the extent to which foreign records and investigations should influence Nigeria’s domestic political discourse.
For Buratai, the issue goes beyond individual political interests, urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and defend the country’s sovereignty while demanding accountability through established legal and democratic institutions.
The development is expected to fuel further political debate as Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 elections.
