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Tag: Badeh

  • Badeh faces 10-count charge for diverting N3.97b NAF funds

    Badeh faces 10-count charge for diverting N3.97b NAF funds

    ALL is set for the trial of a former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, for diverting N1.1 billion, among others, meant for Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to buy a choice mansion for himself in Abuja.

    Other allegations against Badeh include alleged spending of NAF funds to build a shopping mall worth N878,362,732.94; another N650 million for the purchase of a commercial plot of land and $2 million on a duplex in Abuja.

    He was also accused of lavishing N240 million on another semi-detached duplex; buying a duplex for about N260 million for his son, Alex Badeh Jr. and spending N90 million to furnish the duplex.

    The  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) listed Badeh’s alleged financial recklessness in the 10-count charge filed against him at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    The former CDS was flown from Lagos to Abuja at about 7pm amid tight security.

    The Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, who spoke with our correspondent, said: “The arraignment of the ex-CDS will be on Thursday; the court has given the date.”

    Parts of the 10-count charge against him are:

    • “That you Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force) and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited between January and December 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did use dollar equivalent of the sum of N1.1 billion removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to purchase for yourselves a mansion situate at No. 6 Ogun River Street, Off Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja, thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.
    • “That you Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force) and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited between January and December 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use dollar equivalent of the sum of N650,000,000 removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to purchase for yourselves a commercial plot of land situate at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja.
    • “That you Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force) and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited between January and December 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use an aggregate sum of N878,362,732.94 removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force and paid into the account of Rytebuilders Technologies Limited with Zenith Bank Plc for the construction of a shopping mall situate at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja for yourself.
    • “That you Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force) and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited between January and December 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use dollar equivalent of the sum of N304 million removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force and paid into the account of Rytebuilders Technologies Limited to complete the construction for yourselves a shopping mall situate at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja for yourself.”

     In an affidavit in support of the charges, a member of the EFCC’s legal team, Mohammed Abubakar averred as follows: “That I am a member of the prosecuting team assigned by the commission to prosecute the charges against the accused persons herein and by virtue of my position, I am familiar with the facts of this case.

    “That I have the consent and authority of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to depose to this Affidavit.

    “That the facts deposed to hereunder are those derived by me in the course of performing my official duties.

    “That investigation into this case has been substantially concluded. That I am of the opinion that a prima facie case has been made out against the accused persons herein.

    “That the prosecution is ready to immediately commence trial. That the prosecution witnesses are ready and willing to come to court; and

    “That I depose to this affidavit in good faith and believing same to be true and correct in accordance with the Oaths Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”

  • Fed Govt may arraign Badeh tomorrow

    Fed Govt may arraign Badeh tomorrow

    •Files 10-count money laundering charge

    The Federal Government may arrign former Chief Of Defence Staff (CDS), tomorrow before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Already, the Fed Govt has filed a 10-count charge against him before the court bordering on money laundering.

    It was learnt that the charge on Monday, has been assigned to Justice Okon Abang.

    Also named in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/46/2016 is a company named Iyaliam Limited, allegedly used by Badeh to acquire property illegally.

    Justice James Tsoho, also of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday fixed March 4 for ruling on a fundamental rights enforcement application filed by Badeh.

    Badeh has been in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos since February 8 when he honoured the agency’s invitation for questioning.

    Arguing the application on Monday, applicant’s lawyer Samuel Zibiri (SAN), who filed the bail application dated February 15, said though the EFCC had granted his client bail, the ex-CDS could not meet it because of the “onerous conditions” attached to it.

    He said his client was recovering from a recent surgery and also had a history of kidney stone.

     

    Zibiri hinged the application on Section 35(4) and Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution and sections 158, 162 and 165(1) (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

    He urged the court to grant bail to his client on self recognizance or on such favourable and liberal terms as the court might deem fit ?to make.

    Zibiri equally prayed the court to grant him bail pending the completion of investigation by the EFCC and/or arraignment before this court.

    Badey’s lawyer argued that the alleged case of fraud for which his client was invited was a bailable offence.

    “There is no reason for, or any likelihood that the applicant will jump bail, escape from Justice, interfere with witnesses or investigation if same is still ongoing, or the course of justice upon his being granted bail.

    “The applicant has no criminal antecedent or records. The applicant owing to his status in the society can be granted bail on self recognizance, or on the most liberal of terms, as he will be available to attend any invitation by the respondents at all times.

    “That the applicant’s health condition is bad and he recently had surgery on his spine which requires constant post-operative follow-up by his physician as well as renal condition which he is currently undergoing treatment for.”

    Badeh, in a supporting affidavit, stated that “That the applicant was invited by the EFCC vide a letter dated February 1, 2016, to their office at No. 5 Fomella Street, Wuse II, Abuja, on Wednesday, February 3, 2016, to provide some clarification on connection with their investigation into an alleged case of fraud.

    “That the applicant honoured the invitation at the scheduled time and date, in company of his legal Representatives led by his humble self Samuel O. Zibiri, SAN.

    “That contrary to the Acting Chairman’s assurances that the visit was merely routine, the applicant was interrogated for well over nine hours and asked to write a statement which he did and was thereafter detained and all attempts to secure his release and reschedule another appointment was thwarted by the respondent.

    “That three days after the applicant was detained, the respondent issued an internal memo dated February 10, the most onerous and unrealistic bail terms.

    “That upon receiving the bail condition all efforts were made to satisfy same ?by the family and friends of the applicant who could not satisfy same due to its onerous and unreasonable terns whereupon he, Mr Zibiri, SAN, wrote a letter for a review of the bail condition for the applicant.

    “That the respondent has refused neglected and ignored the said appeal and has continued to detain the applicant indefinitely.

    “That he is currently recovering from a recent surgery on his spinal cord for Lumbo-sacral Spondylosis and currently on medication. He also has a history of Renal Lithiasis (Kidney Stones).”

    Zibiri said Badeh’s detention by virtue of a remand order issued by a Magistrate’s Court in Lagos “is a gross abuse of the ACJA 2015” insisting he should be granted bail because a Federal High Court is superior to the magistrate court.”

    EFCC’s lawyer, Cosmas Ugwu, in opposing the application, told the court that Badeh had not made any effort to fulfil the administrative bail granted him by the EFCC in Lagos.

    “He is in custody in Lagos. Abuja is not holding him, so, the convenient court to grant the applicant bail is a court within the same territorial jurisdiction,” Ugwu argued.

    The EFCC lawyer also informed the court that Badeh was being held under a remand order issued by a Lagos magistrate court because he was fingered in the NIMASA fraud allegation.

     

     

     

  • Badeh seeks bail on health grounds

    Badeh seeks bail on health grounds

    •Court to rule Thursday

    Immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (rtd) has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to grant him bail on health grounds.

    Badeh has been in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos since February 8 when he honoured the agency’s invitation for questioning.

    Badeh is accused of complicity in an alleged fraudulent transactions involving the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

    Badeh’s request is contained in a bail application he filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Yesterday, after hearing arguments on the application, Justice James Tsoho fixed Thursday for ruling.

    Arguing the application yesterday, applicant’s lawyer Samuel Zibiri (SAN), who filed the bail application dated February 15, said though the EFCC had granted his client bail, the ex-CDS could not meet it because of the “onerous conditions” attached to it.

    He said his client was recovering from a recent surgery and also had a history of kidney stone.

    Zibiri hinged the application on Section 35(4) and Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution and sections 158, 162 and 165(1) (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

    He urged the court to grant bail to his client on self recognizance or on such favourable and liberal terms as the court might deem fit ?to make.

    Zibiri equally prayed the court to grant him bail pending the completion of investigation by the EFCC and/or arraignment before this court.

    Badey’s lawyer argued that the alleged case of fraud for which his client was invited was a bailable offence.

    “There is no reason for, or any likelihood that the applicant will jump bail, escape from Justice, interfere with witnesses or investigation if same is still ongoing, or the course of justice upon his being granted bail.

    “The applicant has no criminal antecedent or records. The applicant owing to his status in the society can be granted bail on self recognizance, or on the most liberal of terms, as he will be available to attend any invitation by the respondents at all times.

    “That the applicant’s health condition is bad and he recently had surgery on his spine which requires constant post-operative follow-up by his physician as well as renal condition which he is currently undergoing treatment for.”

    Badeh, in a supporting affidavit, stated that “That the applicant was invited by the EFCC vide a letter dated February 1, 2016, to their office at No. 5 Fomella Street, Wuse II, Abuja, on Wednesday, February 3, 2016, to provide some clarification on connection with their investigation into an alleged case of fraud.

    “That the applicant honoured the invitation at the scheduled time and date, in company of his legal Representatives led by his humble self Samuel O. Zibiri, SAN.

    “That contrary to the Acting Chairman’s assurances that the visit was merely routine, the applicant was interrogated for well ?over nine hours and asked to write a statement which he did and was thereafter detained and all attempts to secure his release and reschedule another appointment was thwarted by the respondent.

    “That three days after the applicant was detained, the respondent issued an internal memo dated February 10, the most onerous and unrealistic bail terms.

    “That upon receiving the bail condition all efforts were made to satisfy same ?by the family and friends of the applicant who could not satisfy same due to its onerous and unreasonable terns whereupon he, Mr Zibiri, SAN, wrote a letter for a review of the bail condition for the applicant.

    “That the respondent has refused neglected and ignored the said appeal and has continued to detain the applicant indefinitely.

    “That he is currently recovering from a recent surgery on his spinal cord for Lumbo-sacral Spondylosis and currently on medication. He also has a history of Renal Lithiasis (Kidney Stones).”

    Zibiri said Badeh’s detention by virtue of a remand order issued by a Magistrate’s Court in Lagos “is a gross abuse of the ACJA 2015” insisting he should be granted bail because a Federal High Court is superior to the magistrate court.”

    EFCC’s lawyer, Cosmas Ugwu, in opposing the application, told the court that Badeh had not made any effort to fulfil the administrative bail granted him by the EFCC in Lagos.

    “He is in custody in Lagos. Abuja is not holding him, so, the convenient court to grant the applicant bail is a court within the same territorial jurisdiction,” Ugwu argued.

    The EFCC lawyer also informed the court that Badeh was being held under a remand order issued by a Lagos magistrate court because he was fingered in the NIMASA fraud allegation.

  • Detained Badeh begs court for bail

    • Hinges application on ill-health
    • Court to rule March 4

    Immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (rtd) has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to grant him bail on health grounds.

    Badeh has been in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Lagos since February 8, 2016 when he honoured the agency’s invitation for questioning.

    Badeh is accused of complicity in an alleged fraudulent transactions involving the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

    Badeh’s request is contained in a bail application he filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    After the hearing arguments on the application on Monday, Justice James Tsoho fixed March 4 for ruling.

    Arguing the application on Monday, applicant’s lawyer, Samuel Zibiri (SAN), who filed the bail application dated February 15, said though the EFCC had granted his client bail, the ex-CDS could not meet it because of the “onerous conditions” attached to it.

    He said his client was recovering from a recent surgery and also had a history of kidney stone.

    Zibiri hinged the application on Section 35(4) and Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution and sections 158, 162 and 165(1) (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

    He urged the court to grant bail to his client on self recognizance, or on such favourable and liberal terms as the court might deem fit ‎to make.

    Zibiri equally prayed the court to grant him bail pending the completion of  investigation by the EFCC and/or arraignment before this court.

    Badeh’s lawyer argued  that the  alleged case of fraud for which his client was invited was a bail able offence.

    “There is no reason for, or any likelihood that the applicant will jump bail, escape from Justice, interfere with witnesses or investigation if same is still ongoing, or the course of justice upon his being granted bail.

    “The applicant has no criminal antecedent or records. The applicant owing to his status in the society can be granted bail on self recognizance, or on the most liberal of terms, as he will be available to attend any invitation by the respondents at all times.

    “That the applicant’s health condition is bad and he recently had surgery on his spine which requires constant post-operative follow-up by his physician as well as renal condition which he is currently undergoing treatment for.”

    Zibiri said Badeh’s detention by virtue of a remand order issued by a Magistrate’s Court in Lagos “is a gross abuse of the ACJA 2015” insisting he should be granted bail because a Federal High Court is superior to the magistrate court.”

    Responding,  EFCC’s lawyer, Cosmas Ugwu, in opposing the application, told the court that Badeh had not made any effort to fulfil the administrative bail granted him by the EFCC in Lagos.

    “He is in custody in Lagos. Abuja is not holding him, so, the convenient court to grant the applicant bail is a court within the same territorial jurisdiction,” Ugwu argued.

    The EFCC lawyer also informed the court that Badeh was being held under a remand order issued by a Lagos magistrate court because he was fingered in the NIMASA fraud allegation.

  • Badeh, ex-NIMASA DG quizzed in detention

    Badeh, ex-NIMASA DG quizzed in detention

    •Agency set to arraign military chief

    Former Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh yesterday went through fresh grilling in detention with a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Patrick Ziakede Akpobolokemi.

    It was learnt that Air Chief Marshal Badeh was moved from Abuja to Lagos to join Akpobolokemi in responding to questions from EFCC operatives and to go through documents with the anti-graft agency.

    It was learnt that Air Chief Marshal Badeh might face another trial in Lagos with the ex-NIMASA chief.

    A highly-placed source said: “Investigation has so far revealed that NIMASA funds were made available to the Office of the CDS and the Air Force for some aerial surveillance.

    “The said funds were disbursed under the pretext of strengthening maritime security in the coastal areas.

    “We have interrogated the two former public officers in our detention facility in Lagos. What we have done is to bring the two ex-public officers together for a face-to-face clarification of allegations against them.

    “We do not want distance to serve as a barrier to our ongoing investigation. Certainly, they have confronted each other.

    “We are doing our best now to track how the funds were disbursed and the beneficiaries. We will recover every kobo of the billions given to the Armed Forces by NIMASA.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “I think Badeh may face another trial with the ex-DG of NIMASA.”

    Akpobolokemi had been under interrogation for allegations of fraud  of about   N12, 905, 485.000 meant for a maritime university.

    Out of the sum, N11,737,854,485.00 was  allegedly  paid into a company suspected to be owned by Chief Government Oweize Ekpemopolo (a.k.a Tompolo).

    After the said money was paid, investigation further showed that N6, 000,000,000 was further moved into another account belonging to one of the associates of the indicted DG.

    Also, N816million  allegedly obtained through a presidential approval for the Voluntary International Maritime Organisation Members State Audit( VIMSAS) implementation in Nigeria, was allegedly diverted to personal use.

  • $2.1b arms scandal: Dasuki, Badeh, Amosu face separate trials

    $2.1b arms scandal: Dasuki, Badeh, Amosu face separate trials

    • EFCC demands list of beneficiaries of N10b oil bloc cash for delegates from Jonathan’s ADC
    • More PDP bigwigs benefited from largesse

    Former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, former Chief of Air staff, Air Marshal Adeshola  Amosu,  and some retired military chiefs  who are currently being interrogated for alleged corruption are likely to face separate charges, according to indications last night.

    They are all in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) whose lawyers are said to be working round the clock compiling charges to be preferred against them in court.

    It was gathered that the commission is still gathering information on the beneficiaries of the N10billion oil signature bonus cash allegedly made available by Dasuki ahead of the PDP National Convention where ex-President Goodluck Jonathan was the party’s sole presidential aspirant in 2014.

    The EFCC wants Jonathan’s ex-ADC, Colonel Ojogbane Adegbe, who is also in detention to provide the list of all the beneficiaries.

    Adegbe allegedly shared the money along with a former aide to Jonathan, Waripamowei Dudafa.

    Dudafa is believed to be outside the country.

    Sources said that once the EFCC gets the list, it will demand full repayment of what each delegate collected.

    A well placed source said:  “From the revelations at our disposal on the ongoing probe of former and serving military chiefs, we may have to opt for separate trials for ex-Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adeshola Amosu, and others.

    “They will be arraigned with the ex-NSA Sambo Dasuki based on gross abuse of the procurement process in the military.

    “We are already at a crucial stage of the probe with the invitation of some serving and retired military chiefs.

    “So far, we are investigating 29 serving and retired military officers and more than 22 companies implicated in the arms deals.

    “As we are establishing facts and gathering evidence, we are compiling charges against some of these suspects. We actually work round the clock. All those invited are in safe custody, we will soon prefer charges against them.”

    Asked how many times Dasuki will appear in court, the source added: “We have different issues being probed and we can’t ignore all these dimensions.”

    The military chiefs (retired and serving) being questioned include  Badeh, Dasuki, two former Chiefs of Air Staff, Air Marshals M.D. Umar and A.N. Amosu (rtd).

    Some of the affected serving officers are the most senior Air Force officer, AVM A. M. Mamu (the Chief of Administration); AVM O.T. Oguntoyinbo (former Director of Production, Defence Headquarters);  AVM R.A. Ojuawo (Air Officer Tactical Air Command, Makurdi;  AVM J.B. Adigun(former Chief of Accounts and Budgeting in NAF); and AVM JA Kayode-Beckley (Director, Armament Research in Air Force Research and Development Centre); AVM T Omenyi (MD, NAF Holdings)four top officers at the Defence Headquarters(DHQ), Air Cdre AO Ogunjobi; Air Cdre GMD Gwani; Air Cdre SO Makinde; Air Cdre AY Lassa and Col. N. Ashinze , who was the Special Military Assistant to the ex-National Security Adviser.

    The Nigerian Army confirmed on Thursday that 12 of its officers had been sent to the EFCC for investigation.

    The  Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman, said in a terse statement that the officers  “comprised three serving Major-Generals and one retired, three Brigadier-Generals, four colonels, and one Lieutenant Colonel.

    “However, it should be noted that at the end of the commission’s investigations, those found culpable will be tried by a Military Court Martial.”

    Investigation revealed last night that many PDP chieftains benefited from more than N10billion ($47m) withdrawn from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for delegates to the special convention of the party to adopt ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for the 2015 presidential election.

    Another top source in the anti-graft commission said: “The EFCC has grilled Jonathan’s ex-ADC and asked him to produce the list of beneficiaries of the N10billion (over $47m) withdrawn from an oil bloc account in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    “Although the former ADC claimed that he acted on the instructions of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, we are only demanding the list of disbursement to PDP stalwarts. It is left to the ex-ADC to make the list available to the EFCC.

    “We will then release the list to the public at the appropriate time. We will recover this over N10billion from the affected beneficiaries. The cash was from a Signature Bonus Account in CBN.

  • $2.1b arms deals: EFCC searches ex-CDS Badeh’s house

    $2.1b arms deals: EFCC searches ex-CDS Badeh’s house

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday searched the house of a former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh.

    The former CDS is still in custody, being grilled.

    There were indications that some serving military officers have been moved to guest houses, pending their interrogation.

    According to a  source, some operatives were drafted to Badeh’s house to retrieve some documents.

    The source said: “After interacting with the ex-CDS for 24 hours,  it became important to search his residence for some vital documents. We acted on intelligence report at our disposal.

    “After the search, we made necessary documentation of the items retrieved from the place. Such a search is routine when conducting a sensitive investigation like this.

    “Badeh underwent another round of grilling  yesterday bordering on the procurement of used aircraft.

    “The ex-CDS may spend longer days in EFCC custody because of the wider scope of the procurement deals in the Armed Forces.

    “He is expected to account for purchase of uniforms for the Armed Forces when some officers and men complained of not getting the required pairs. “On November 26, 2014, the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh sought for approval of the award of one pair of uniform(in the interim) for the Armed Forces at N165, 375 to El-Jahab Mubarak Nigeria and N330,750,000 for two pairs’’.

    Some serving military officers have been relocated to some Armed Forces guest houses pending their interrogation by the EFCC.

    Another source added: “In grilling these officers, we are trying to keep to military tradition of according them the respect befitting of officers.

    “You know all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Some of these officers are currently in some military guest houses.”

    Besides Badeh, others being interrogated are a former Chief of Air Staff, A.N. Amosu; ex- Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal M.D. Umar;  ex-National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki ; Col. N. Ashinze , who was the Special Military Assistant to the ex-NSA; and the most senior Air Force officer, and AVM A. M. Mamu(the Chief of Administration).

    Others are  AVM O.T. Oguntoyinbo (former Director of Production, Defence Headquarters);  AVM R.A. Ojuawo (Air Officer Tactical Air Command, Makurdi;  AVM J.B. Adigun(former Chief of Accounts and Budgeting in NAF); and AVM JA Kayode-Beckley(Director, Armament Research in Air Force Research and Development Centre); AVM T Omenyi (MD, NAF Holdings)four top officers at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Air Cdre AO Ogunjobi; Air Cdre GMD Gwani; Air Cdre SO Makinde; and Air Cdre AY Lassa Some of the areas of investigation are as follows:

    •  How 10 contracts totalling $930,500,690.00 were awarded
    • Payment of  N4,402,687,569.41 for unexecuted contracts
    •   Procurement of two used Mi-24V Helicopters instead of the recommended Mi-35M series at $136,944,000.00.
    •   4 used Alpha-Jets for the NAF at US$7,180,000.00 funded by ONSA
    •   Cannibalization of engines from NAF fleet to justify procurement of jets
    •   Excessive pricing of 36D6 Low Level Air Defence Radar at $33m instead of $6m per one
    •   Delivery of radars without  vital component of Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) that distinguishes between own and adversary aircraft
    •   Strange transfer of $2m to Mono Marine Corporation Nigeria Limited owned by some Air Force officers
    • N15bn lavished on the maintenance of its Alpha-Jets, C-130H aircraft and Mi-24V/35P helicopters.
    •  N2.5billion contracts awarded to Syrius Technologies( Ukrainian company) not registered in Nigeria
    •   Award of 7 contracts worth N599,118,000.00 contracts to Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria(DICON) but two delivered
  • EFCC to quiz Badeh, others in batches

    EFCC to quiz Badeh, others in batches

    •Mu’azu ‘not yet invited’

    the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has raised  a team to interrogate a former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, and 17 others, including 11 senior military officers.

    The officers, who have been mentioned in connection with the alleged $2.1 billion arms deals,  will be quizzed in batches, it was learnt at the weekend.

    Some of the officers have, however, alleged that they were not allowed to appear before the Special Investigative Committee (sic) before being referred to the EFCC.

    A former National  Chairman of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, has said he has not received any invitation from the anti-graft agency, contrary to reports.

    The list of military officers to be grilled includes two former Chiefs of Air Staff, Air Marshals M.D. Umar and A.N. Amosu(rtd).

    Others to be probed are 22 companies traced to associates and relatives of some of the suspects.

    Also to be probed are: AVM A. M. Mamu (the Chief of Administration); AVM O.T.Oguntoyinbo (former Director of Production, Defence Headquarters);  AVM R.A. Ojuawo (Air Officer Tactical Air Command, Makurdi;  AVM J.B. Adigun(former Chief of Accounts and Budgeting in NAF); and AVM JA Kayode-Beckley (Director, Armament Research in Air Force Research and Development Centre); AVM T Omenyi (MD, NAF Holdings) four top officers at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Air Cdre A.O. Ogunjobi; Air Cdre G.M.D Gwani; Air Cdre S.O. Makinde; Air Cdre A.Y. Lassa and Col. N. Ashinze , who was the Special Military Assistant to the ex-National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

    Col. Ashinze is in the EFCC’s custody.

    The anti-graft agency has quizzed  Alex Badeh Jr., son of the former Chief of Defence Staff, in connection with the arms scandal.

    A source said: “We are going ahead with the interrogation of some former and serving military officers as recommended. There is no going back on this.

    “We have a team ready to interact with these officers and about 22 companies. But we will conduct the interrogation in batches.

    “Very soon, we will invite these officers. We have a schedule of how we will conduct our findings.”

    Some serving and former military chiefs have raised issues on why they were referred to the EFCC because the sic had not invited them.

    A source said: “We were surprised that the EFCC has been mandated to interact with some of us when we  were never invited by the sic which made the recommendation to the Presidency.

    “This is an area we want the President and Commander-In-Chief, HE Muhammadu Buhari, to look at. The sic did some preliminary work for EFCC to act upon. But we were not asked to appear.

    “We are not afraid of accounting for our tenure but due process must be followed.”

    Mu’azu said he had not received any invitation from the EFCC or any anti-graft agency.

    An aide to Muazu, who spoke on behalf of his boss, said: “Contrary to what is being reported, Mu’azu is yet to receive any invitation from the EFCC or any agency.

    “The ex-PDP National Chairman is also not aware of any allegation against him. Yet we read of N500million and some ambiguous figures on a daily basis. Some even alleged that the former governor is on the run, which is not true.  Mu’azu was a party leader and he did not go beyond his bound while leading the PDP.”

  • The Army we presided over, by Badeh, Minimah

    The Army we presided over, by Badeh, Minimah

    With a degree of candour, alien to military establishment in the country,  the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (rtd) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Gen. Kenneth Minimah gave Nigerians food-for-thought at their pull-out parades.

    The duo said the Army their headed was inadequately kitted for modern operations.

    In his validictory speech to a violence-weary nation, Air Chief Marshal Badeh said the military he headed lacked the equipment to do its job. He said at a pull-out parade organised in his honour last month: “Permit me to also add here that the nation’s militaries are equipped and trained in peace time for the conflicts they expect to confront in the future. Unfortunately, that has not been our experience as a nation.

    “Over the years, the military was neglected and under-equipped to ensure the survival of certain regimes, while other regimes, based on advice from some foreign nations, deliberately reduced the size of the military and underfunded it.

    “Unfortunately, our past leaders accepted such recommendations without appreciating our peculiarities as a third world military, which does not have the technological advantage that could serve as force multipliers and compensate for reduced strength.

    “Accordingly, when faced with the crises in the Northeast and other parts of the country, the military was overstretched and had to embark on emergency recruitments and trainings, which were not adequate to prepare troops for the kind of situation we found ourselves in.”

    The ex-CDS was echoed by the immediate past COAS (Gen. Minimah) who admitted that he was “confronted with a decay in the service due to long periods of neglect the Army had suffered. “At the time he settled into office, there was spate of bombings across the country. Attacks on soft targets such as civilians and vulnerable communities were on the increase. The Armed Forces and security agencies appeared helpless to address the situation and sadly, the nation began to lose confidence in its army and military.

    “The situation was no less grim in the Northcentral and Northwestern zones where armed bandits, cattle rustlers and militias held sway. The nation seemed to be heading towards the much publicised disintegration many had predicted would occur in 2015.

     “A nation is as strong as its Armed Forces and the strength of the Armed Forces is in the quality of the individual soldier and his fighting spirit. Fighting spirit imbues him with confidence to stand up to the adversary rather than flee like we witnessed in the recent past, while adequate attention to his welfare demonstrates his nation’s commitment to his wellbeing and motivates him to sacrifice everything, including his life. Government must provide the necessary and right political environment to recruit, train, equip, kit and remunerate our servicemen,” he advised.

  • Badeh’s statement on Armed Forces

    SIR: “All truth passes through three stages: First, it is ridiculed; second, it is violently opposed: and third, it is accepted as self-evident”, so said Arthur Schopenhauer. In other words, truth can be ridiculed, violently opposed for a while but in the end it has the capacity to manifest and be accepted as self-evident. The statement of the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh is the point in mind here.

    While delivering his valedictory address at his pulling-out from the Nigerian Armed Forces, Air Chief Marshal Badeh said inter alia that; “For the first time, I was head of a military that lacked the relevant equipment and motivation to fight an enemy that was invisible and embedded with the local populace”.

    It will be recalled that sometime last year, some soldiers who legitimately demanded for relevant equipment to fight the insurgents were surprisingly charged with conspiracy to mutiny (insubordination or insurrection of the armed forces against the authority of their commanders), tried and convicted and sentenced to death by the general court-martial.

    The same concern raised by the affected soldiers is what has now been confirmed by Badeh. For daring to expose the true state of affairs in the military (i.e. lack of relevant weapons) despite the mind-boggling sums voted for security, they were considered APC soldiers who needed to be confined or silenced immediately. Remember, this happened at a time when any action or information that was of adverse effect to Jonathan’s presidential ambition was linked to the APC by the PDP and those who were sympathetic to Jonathan.

    This evidence is credible enough to set the convicted soldiers free. It’s a clarion call for President Muhammadu Buhari to order an immediate review of the solders conviction and death sentence. They should be released forthwith to re-unite with their families, with apology and adequate compensation for defamation of character, malicious prosecution, false imprisonment etc.

    On the other hand, the activities of the fifth columnists in the military and other security agencies who leaked (and still leak) operational plans and other sensitive military information to the terrorists must be investigated and those found culpable sanctioned as may be in tandem with extant laws.

    Again, it is contended that while it is the responsibility of the military to maintain the territorial integrity of the nation and secure its borders from violation on land, sea or air, it is equally the responsibility of the Federal Government to equip and maintain the military as may be considered adequate and effective for the purpose. President Muhammadu Buhari should rise to this challenge of adequately equipping and maintaining the military as it is the only sure way of building a reliable military and defeating the war against Boko Haram. The president’s initiative in tackling this challenge so far is highly commended. His recent official visit to the US is expected to sooner than later make this challenge a thing of the past.

    As for Badeh, his statement would have been appreciated if he had the courage to voice this out in the days of the Jonathan administration. Even if he would have been fired as was typical of the administration, it would have catapulted him into the league of true professionals.

     

    • Hundu Saaku Anthony Makurdi.