The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Air Marshal Alex Badeh

  • How Badeh funded N1.2b shopping complex, by witness

    How Badeh funded N1.2b shopping complex, by witness

    A prosecution witness in the trial of former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Air Marshall Alex Badeh yesterday told Justice Okong Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja how the military chief funded the building of N1.2 billion shopping complex.

    Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), the prosecution witness, Abubakar Haliyu Madaki, a team leader of the EFCC Special Task Force, told the court of how N300 million was paid in dollars for the construction of the shopping complex.

    Badeh is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja.

    He is standing trial with a firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, on a 10-count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal breach of trust and corruption to the tune of N3.97 billion.

    He allegedly abused his office as CDS by using the dollar equivalent of N1.4billion – removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force – to purchase properties in choice areas of Abuja between January and December, 2013.

    The offence contravenes Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

    Madaki said: “Mustapha Yerima (PW4) got an estimate of N950 million to N1.2billion for the construction of the shopping complex.

    “Air Commodore Yishau (PW1) promised to get in touch with the 1st defendant and after sometime, Yishau got back to him and they agreed between N1 to N1.1 billion.

    “However, the 1st defendant paid the sum of N300 million to enable them start work.

    “So, as the work was progressing, Yerima was briefing Yishau, who promised to tell the Badeh.

    “Yerima said when the funds got exhausted, he was invited by Yishau to meet Mr. Sinni Mohammed, who was the paymaster of the Nigerian Airforce Camp (NAF)

    “He said Mr. Sinni will be paying Yerima for the construction of the plaza from the account of the NAF

    “At that time, Yishau was about retiring.As soon as Yishau introduced Yerima to Sinni, payment started coming into his company’s account (Rytebuilders) and the construction started.

    “A total of N860 million was received from the NAF.As soon as the money finished, the work slowed down. The first defendant was very unhappy about this.

    “Badeh summoned Yerima to know why the work is not progressing.He now listed the items, which was up to N97 million and also submitted a bill of N54 million, claimingthat prices of items in market were on the high side.

    “After Yishau’s retirement, he introduced Alex Badeh Jnr. to Yerima so that he can take over the supervision of the project.

    “Badeh said his son will provide the funds.The 1st defendant had N25 million worth of investment in Vasimar Investment in the name of Badeh’s son.

    “Although he had another investment, both the investment of the father and son was not up to N102 million.

    “Yerima claimed that he received the sum of N102 million, as he was about to conclude the work – he was on finishing touches.

    “After adding this fact, we decided to invite Badeh’s son to come and make clarification. One of my operatives called him or so, only for him to tell my operative that he was in the United States (U.S.) and was due in the country in a week.

    “When the investigation started, Yerima was invited.He claimed that he informed Yishau, who promised to get in touch with Badeh. Badeh’s son later called Yerima that he should claim the property.”

    Trial continues today.

  • FG orders audit of military payroll

    FG orders audit of military payroll

    Following revelations in the course of the trial of the former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, that the sum of N558.2 million was allegedly diverted monthly from the Nigeria Air Force account into private pockets, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has directed an investigation into the payrolls of the Air Force, the Navy and the Army by the Continuous Audit Team of the Federal Government.

    A statement from the ministry signed by Salisu Na’Inna Dambatta, Director (Information) of the ministry said “the Continuous Audit team has been charged with the responsibility of scrutinizing the payrolls of the three services, which have not yet been put on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information [1] System (IPPIS), to ensure that all possible loopholes that could lead to leakages were blocked.”

    According to him, the exercise “will be conducted, pending the biometric capturing and migrating the payroll of the three services to the IPPIS, in line with the policy of the Federal Government to clean up the payroll of all public sector employees.”

    The Minister of Finance said that the measure has become necessary as part of the change mantra of the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, which include the restoration of the culture of transparency, accountability and control in the management of public funds.

    The Continuous Audit Process was one of the initiatives of the Minister approved by President Muhammadu Buhari as part of the on-going reforms in the public finance management system of the federal government, which he emphasised in his 2016 Budget speech.

    Mrs. Kemi Adeosun said the Director of Special Projects in the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Mohammed Kyari Dikwa, will head the Continuous Audit Team and report their findings for appropriate action by the Federal Government.​

  • FG orders audit of Military payroll

    Following revelations in the course of the trial of the former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, that the sum of N558.2 million was allegedly diverted monthly from the Nigeria Air Force account into private pockets, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has directed an investigation into the payrolls of the Air Force, the Navy and the Army by the Continuous Audit Team of the Federal Government.

    A statement from the ministry signed by Salisu Na’Inna Dambatta Director (Information) of the ministry said “the Continuous Audit team has been charged with the responsibility of scrutinizing the payrolls of the three services, which have not yet been put on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS),  to ensure that all possible loopholes that could lead to leakages were blocked.”

    The exercise he said “will be conducted pending the biometric capturing and migrating the payroll of the three services to the IPPIS, in line with the policy of the Federal Government to clean up the payroll of all public sector employees.”

    The Minister of Finance said that the measure has become necessary as part of the change mantra of the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, which include the restoration of the culture of transparency, accountability and control in the management of public funds.

    The Continuous Audit Process was one of the initiatives of the Minister approved by President Muhammadu Buhari as part of the on-going reforms in the public finance management system of the federal government, which he emphasised in his 2016 Budget speech.

    Mrs. Kemi Adeosun said the Director of Special Projects in the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Mohammed Kyari Dikwa, will head the Continuous Audit Team and report their findings for appropriate action by the Federal Government.​

     

  • Jonathan sacks Ihejirika, other service chiefs

    Jonathan sacks Ihejirika, other service chiefs

    … Alex Badeh is new CDS

    President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on Thursday approved sweeping changes in the nation’s military high command.

    The erstwhile Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh takes over from Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim as Chief of Defence Staff.

    Major-General Kenneth Minimah replaces Lt.-General Azubike Ihejirika as Chief of Army Staff.

    Rear Admiral Usman O. Jibrin is the new Chief of Naval Staff.  He takes over from Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba.

    Also, Air Vice Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu takes the baton from Air Marshal Badeh as Chief of Air Staff.

    With this development, all the former service chiefs except the new CDS have been retired from the military.

    A statement issued by the President’s media aide, Dr. Reuben Abati, said all the changes are with immediate effect.

    It reads, “The new Chief CDS, Air Marshal Badeh was born on January 10, 1957 and joined the Air Force as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 21 Regular Course while the new COAS, Major-General Minimah was born on July 27, 1959 and joined the Army as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 25 Regular Course. Until his new appointment, Major-General Minimah was the Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps, Jaji.

    “The new CNS, Rear Admiral Jibrin was born on September 16, 1959 and joined the Navy as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 24 Regular Course. Until his appointment as CNS, he was Director of Training at Defence Headquarters.

    The new Chief of Air Staff and immediate past Commander of the Presidential Air Fleet, Air Vice Marshal Amosu was born on August 1, 1958 and joined the Air Force as a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy’s 25 Regular Course. Until his new appointment, Air Vice Marshal Amosu was the Air Officer Commanding, Tactical Air Command, Makurdi.

    “President Jonathan has briefed the leadership of the National Assembly on the appointment of the new service chiefs and will, in keeping with the provisions of the law, request the National Assembly to formally confirm the appointments when it reconvenes.”