- As Troops raid Boko Haram hideouts, kill five
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has recovered $1m cash from one of the houses belonging to the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh(retd.), The PUNCH has learnt.
Our correspondent learnt the money was recovered after detectives searched a mansion located at 6, Ogun River Street, Maitama, Abuja.
A detective at the EFCC, who did not want his name in print, said, “We have seized several properties belonging to Badeh. A few days ago, we returned to the mansion located at 6, Ogun River Street, Maitama.
“In the presence of several witnesses, including neighbours, we searched the house and recovered $1m in cash. The money has been lodged as evidence.”
When our correspondent visited the mansion on Sunday, the EFCC seal was seen on the gate, with the warning, ‘EFCC, Keep off!” written all over the fence.
The property, which is said to be worth over N1.1bn, is one of the five properties seized from the ex-defence chief.
Some of the properties were said to have been purchased, renovated and furnished for a son of the former CDS, Alex Badeh (Jnr.).
Badeh also allegedly bought a commercial plot of land at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja for N650m.
They were said to have paid N878m for the construction of a shopping mall at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja, and another sum of N304m to complete the construction.
The anti-graft agency also accused them of paying N260m to purchase a duplex at No. 19 Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, for Badeh’s son.
The sum of N60m was said to have been paid for the renovation of the property and another N90m to furnish the property.
The retired Air Force officer also allegedly paid N330m to one Honourable Bature to purchase a duplex at No. 14 Adzope Crescent, Off Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.
They were also accused of paying N240m to Rabiu Isyaku Rabiu to buy a semi-detached duplex at No. 8A Embu Street, by Sigma Apartment, Wuse II, Abuja.
They also allegedly renovated a private property at No. 2, Nelson Mandela Street, Asokoro, Abuja, with N62m.
In the charges, signed by EFCC’s Deputy Director, Legal and Prosecution Department, Aliyu Yusuf, the anti-graft agency alleged that Badeh removed the sum of N3.9bn from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force.
But Badeh had, last week, denied ownership of the properties seized by the anti-graft agency.
Badeh, who has remained in the EFCC custody since February 8, has been charged along with a firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
He is set to appear in court on Monday (today).
In the meantime, Nigerian troops have killed a total five terrorists and captured one, Musa Abdulahi, after raiding Boko Haram’s hideouts in different parts of Borno State.
The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said in an electronic mail on Sunday the Doksa, Biu Local Government Area operation in which two terrorists were killed and Abdullahi captured was carried out by the troops of the 231,331 battalions and some elements of the Armed Forces Special Forces 3 Division.
He said three insurgents were killed in Dure 1, Dure 2, Jango Dibiye.
Usman said the soldiers, who killed two and captured one in Doksa, also recovered two military uniforms, one General Purpose Gun, one AK 47 rifle and two dane guns from the Boko Haram fighters.
He added that the troops recovered 25 motorcycles, 30 bicycles and grinding machines as well as foodstuffs during the operation.
Usman said the troops discovered during the operations that the terrorists were also poisoning sources of water supply, apart from burying Improvised Explosive Devices in the areas.
According to him, the troops encountered two of such devices and detonated them.
The Army officer said that the troops were in high spirits after the operations.
In another statement, Usman said that the troops of the 122 Task Force Battalion and the 26 Task Force Battalion carried out a major operation that resulted in the clearance of Boko Haram camps in Dure, Sambisa.
According to him, the camps were cleared in Dure 1, Dure 2, Jango Dibiye and others in the operational area.
He said the troops killed three terrorists, adding that three soldiers were injured during the attack and were being treated.
He said several items, including materials for making IEDs, grain storage facilities and two hand-held Motorola radios were destroyed by the troops.
Usman quoted the General Officer Commanding, 7 Division, Brig.-Gen. Victor Ezugwu, as saying that Dure 1 and Dure 2 were strongholds of Boko Haram in Sambisa.
Punch
