How Gunmen Killed Ex Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh

By Taiwo Adeniyi & Judd-Leonard Okafor

The former Chief of Defense Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh
was in his Toyota Tundra truck with registration number MUB 396 AA
when he was shot by some unknown gunmen at a location in Gitata
community on Keffi-Bade road, Nasarawa State.

Some Gitata residents said the deceased was coming from his farm
between Koso and Kugwaru communities when he was shot. They said
though Mararaba was closer to the farm, the dilapidation of the
road made the choice of Panda road off the Keffi-Bade highway
better.

The truck windscreen was pierced by bullets, its windows
shattered, its bonnet ridden with bullets. The front tyre of the
passenger side was blown out. The layout of the scene was
consistent with the style of operation of gunmen who regularly
attack travellers in the area, according to what residents told
Daily Trust at the scene.

Witnesses to the incident never knew it was Bade in the vehicle
at the time of the attack until the Air Force announced his death.
They described him as seated in front beside the driver, and
describe him being shot in the trunk.

Patches of blood still stained the truck’s cup holder and
armrest between both seats as seen by Daily Trust.

One witness, Idris Musa, a driver, said the incident happened at
about 6:45pm on Tuesday. Musa who spoke in Hausa said he was
driving to Gitata from Keffi when some drivers stopped him at
Unguwar Mangoro where he was informed about an on-going robbery on
the road.

Musa said he parked his vehicle by the roadside while looking
out for oncoming vehicles near the bush when he saw a vehicle ran
into the robbers.

“This very man was coming with his car, Tundra, when he now
switched on his head light. Then they started shooting at his car,”
he said, adding that he counted about 10 gunshots before he fled
into the bush in fear until he was called out by his colleagues
after the gunmen left through the bush.

“When they went there, they saw the driver injured on the arm
and another man already dead in the car. He was shot in the
stomach,” he said through an interpreter.

He said the soldiers wrapped a bandage around the injured
driver’s arm.

“This is the third time in this month that something like this
happens, two people have been killed and one kidnapped this month,”
he said, adding that he never knew the dead man he saw was a former
top security chief.

The witness also said the deceased former chief of defence staff
was shot few minutes from Zango Gitata, a community sandwiched
between two military checkpoints. The Shitu Alao Barracks is also
on the Keffi-Bade road.

However, a trader in Gitata, Joshua Ade, said before the two
checkpoints were mounted, the gunmen could operate about three
times in a day.

“At times they come out three times in a day. We thank God
because of the soldiers at the checkpoints. Then we do hear
gunshots from here,” he said.

Ade said he was at his makeshift shop where he sells car spare
parts when he saw the Tundra go by on the road on Tuesday. Few
minutes later, soldiers at the Gitata checkpoints were seen
speeding in opposite direction.

Ade said by then he knew something was going on and was not
surprised when he later heard that a man was killed by some gunmen
before the soldiers got there.

“It was this morning (Wednesday) that I got to know that the man
was prominent. This month it is up to two times, two weeks ago they
operated and kidnapped about six people,” he said.

“It has been happening before; it is because of this man that
died which I think is an elderly person or top government official
that everyone is hearing it,” he said,.

There has been heavy deployment of security personnel since
Tuesday night.

“Since last night soldiers are going up and down. They mount
road blocks down there and about 10 of their vehicles have been
patrolling the area,” he said.

He said the gunmen usually waylay motorists at a sharp bend
after Zango Gitata.

Abdul Gitata was attacked thrice at a sharp bend and once shot
at by the gunmen whom he said were usually dressed in military
uniforms.

“The last time that I entered them, almost two months, they shot
at my car and broke three of my tyres. They usually lie down in the
bush and just start shooting at the car, when you stop they will
kidnap people and go.

“That place is a bush, no houses there and there is a bending
corner. Normally if you hear any armed robbery incident, it is that
place. When you are coming from Keffi, your mind won’t rest until
you cross the place. They operate even in the day,” he said.

He said the security operatives on the road tried in curtailing
the situation but the gunmen usually operate after they soldiers
have finished their patrol of the area.

“They (gunmen) used to have information when security are
patrolling you won’t see them but when soldiers are gone they now
operate,” he said.

The Mai Martaba Sarkin of Gitata, Turaki Danlami Rabo said he
was not authorised to comment on the security situation in the
community.

Culled from .dailytrust

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