By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), retired Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, has filed a N1 billion defamation suit against a fellow retired senior military officer, Maj. Gen. Danjuma Hamisu Ali-Keffi (rtd), at the Kaduna State High Court over alleged claims linking him to terrorism financing.The Buratai defamation suit, filed on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at the Kaduna Judicial Division of the High Court, accuses Ali-Keffi of making and circulating false, malicious and defamatory statements connecting Buratai to Boko Haram suspects, terrorism financing, and the alleged illegal release and concealment of terror suspects.
In the suit, Buratai contends that the defendant granted interviews in 2025 in which he allegedly insinuated that the former Army Chief maintained links with terror financiers and was involved in conspiracies to shield individuals connected to terrorism during his tenure as COAS.The plaintiff, through his legal team—A.I. Aliyu and A.M. Hassan of Law Plus Consult—is seeking judicial declarations that the statements attributed to Ali-Keffi and published on multiple online media platforms are defamatory and harmful to his reputation.Buratai stated that the publications were widely circulated on online news platforms and social media channels, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), WhatsApp and Instagram, giving the allegations extensive national and international exposure.
In his statement of claim, the former Army Chief described the allegations as entirely false and baseless. He maintained that he has never been investigated, indicted or convicted for terrorism, terrorism financing or any related offence by any authority within or outside Nigeria.He argued that the statements portrayed him as corrupt, unpatriotic and complicit in acts that threaten Nigeria’s national security. According to him, this portrayal has gravely damaged his reputation, honour and standing both locally and internationally.
Buratai further alleged that Ali-Keffi acted recklessly and maliciously, noting that the defendant reportedly admitted in the same publications that no investigation had established Buratai’s involvement in terrorism financing.As part of the reliefs sought, Buratai is asking the court to compel the defendant to immediately retract the alleged defamatory statements. He is also seeking an unreserved public apology to be published with equal prominence on Sahara Reporters, two national newspapers, and across all social media platforms where the statements were circulated.
The plaintiff is claiming N1 billion as general damages for libel and injury to reputation. He cited the severity of terrorism-related allegations, their wide dissemination, and the defendant’s status as a retired senior military officer as aggravating factors.In addition, Buratai is seeking a perpetual injunction restraining Ali-Keffi from further publishing or repeating the alleged defamatory statements. He is also asking the court to order the defendant to pay the full cost of the suit, including solicitor’s fees.The writ of summons directs Ali-Keffi to enter an appearance within 21 days of service. Failure to do so, the court noted, may result in the matter being heard in his absence.As of the time of filing this report, no hearing date has been fixed, as the defendant is yet to respond to the suit.
