By Ben Agande & Ikechukwu Nnochiri,

ABUJA — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has filed a 10-count criminal charge  against the former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Alex Badeh

This came on a day the former defence chief cried out that he was being persecuted by the anti-graft agency over his alleged  involvement in the $2.1 billion arms scam.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the former defence chief looted funds from accounts of the Nigerian Air Force and used same to purchase choice property in the highbrow areas in Abuja.

The commission also cited a firm, Iyalikam Nigerian Limited, as the second defendant in the charge bordering on money laundering, corruption and criminal breach of trust.

The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/46/2016, and dated February 26, was signed by the Deputy Director of Legal & Prosecution Department at the EFCC, Mr. Aliyu M. Yusuf.

Allegations

Specifically, the agency alleged that Badeh had between January and December, 2013, used dollar equivalent of the sum of N650 million to purchase a commercial plot of land situated at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone, A07, Wuse II, Abuja.

Badeh was said to have between March 28 and December 5, 2013, paid N878,362,732.94 which he removed from the account of the Nigerian Air Force, into the account of Rytebuilders Technologies Limited with Zenith Bank Plc, for the construction of a shopping mall on the plot.

He was also alleged to have diverted another dollar equivalent of N304 million to the firm, Rytebuilders Technologies Limited, for the completion of the shopping mall.

Whereas EFCC, in count five of the charge, alleged that Badeh used dollar equivalent of N260 million which he removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force and paid to one Ouwatoyin Oke through Platinum Universal Project and Construction to purchase a duplex for his son, Alex Badeh Jnr., it said the defendant further used N60 million to renovate the property situated at 19, Kumai Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.

The prosecution alleged in court-seven of the charge that Badeh used N90 million to furnish the said duplex he bought for his son and the commission told the court that Badeh Jnr. was currently on the run.

There were also strong indications, yesterday, that Badeh might be arraigned before Justice Inyang Okoro of the high court today.

I ‘m being persecuted

—Badeh

Meanwhile, Badeh in a statement he personally signed, yesterday, denied involvement in the $2.1 billion scam, stating that during his stay as Chief of Defence Staff, funds for weapons were directly released to the Chief of Air Staff, and their Army  and Naval counterparts and not him.

The statement read: “It has been widely reported in the news that I am being investigated over the $2.1 billion arms deal but that is not true. I was not part of Dasukigate.

“The claim that five property were acquired for me from the $2.1 billion funds is also false.  I was Chief of Air Staff from October 2012 to January 2014 and then appointed Chief of Defence Staff, CDS.

“During my time serving as CDS, funds for weapons were directly released to the Chief of Air Staff, Army Staff and Naval Staff and not to me. I had no control over the funds and yet I am being accused of embezzling weapons’ funds.

“The office of the CDS had no operational control of the services and had nothing to do with their spending.

“The EFCC’s claim that I received $800,000 from my Director of Finance and Accounts is untrue. I did not receive such money from the erstwhile DFA. If he claims to have given me money, where is the proof?  Was it paid into my account? Did I sign for it?

On property

“In the case of the property, if they claim the property are mine and were obtained illegally through proxies, then they should go to court and get an order of forfeiture rather than trying to insist I am the owner of the property.

“It is rather unfortunate that the nation which I fought so hard within my means to defend against Boko Haram insurgents cannot guarantee my fundamental human rights.

“During my time as the CDS, lives of both soldiers and civilians were lost. Territories were lost. We fought to regain our nation’s territorial integrity and the insurgents pushed back.

“I lost my personal house and hospital in defence of my father land  ( ahospital which I built many years ago and was equally used in the treatment of injured soldiers).

“Now I am losing my freedom to the same fatherland that I fought so hard to defend.”