Reps disagree over Badeh’s arms fund diversion trial

The House of Representatives has asked the Inspector-General of
Police, Ibrahim Idris; and the Director-General of the Department
of State Services, Mr Yusuf Bichi, to go after the killers of a
former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh.

Badeh was shot dead on Tuesday night on the Abuja-Keffi
Expressway on his way back from his farm. He was said to have been
shot along with his driver.

At the plenary on Thursday, several members of the House
condemned the killing, while decrying the rising insecurity in the
country.

The House had adopted a motion on ‘The Need to Investigate the
Killing of Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh,’ moved by Mr Abdulrahman
Shuaibu Abubakar.

Commenting, Mr Bashir Babale, took a swipe at the deceased,
making reference to his trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission for alleged diversion of funds meant for arms
purchase.

Babale said, “What happened to Alex Badeh, I am not praying for
it to happen to my worst enemy, but I think it is a food for
thought for anybody. Anyone who finds himself in the position of
authority; if you are given an authority, you have to discharge it
with the fear of God.

“I don’t want to be a sycophant, saying that he is a selfless
man, that he served his country, no! There are issues as regards to
late Alex Badeh on corruption. And for me, I will only address him
as (a) selfless person who stood for Nigeria when his name is
cleared with regards (to) high level allegations of corruption,
with regards to arm purchases in order to fight Boko Haram in
Nigeria.

“Because I am from Kano, I know the quantum of number of
peoples’ lives we lost in Kano. Just in a day, we lost over 1000
lives during the Boko Haram saga in Kano and later on, we found out
that some people were given authority to purchase arms but they
decided to sit on the money, siphoned the money and used it for
their personal benefits.

“So, for me, I will only address Badeh as a selfless individual
when his name is cleared with regard to financial misconduct during
his era.”

Several members who spoke after Babale, however, faulted him for
comments on the late ex-CDS, but the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, said
the lawmaker’s comments were misrepresented.

While faulting the timing, they noted that Badeh was no more
alive to defend himself against the allegations.

In his contribution, Mr Toby Okechukwu said, “The way people are
being killed in this country shows that our security outfits are
not working. They are not doing what they are supposed to do. If a
general can be killed like that, you can now imagine what ordinary
Nigerians are going through every day.

“It is very sad. I understand that the first thing that will
come to mind is about corruption allegations against him.
Unfortunately, he is not here to answer all of that.

“It is a pity that after risking his life to serve Nigeria, he
now died like a commoner and this shows that Nigeria’s democracy is
gone.”

Another member, Chike Adamu, said, “Whether he is corrupt or not
is not the matter; how will he be killed in that manner? This is an
incident that happened close to the seat of power, where you have
the President, his deputy, the Senate President, including you, Mr
Speaker.”

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