Arms scam: FG converts Badeh’s N1.1bn mansion to office

AN1.1bn mansion seized from the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.), has been converted to an office to be used by the Federal Government, The PUNCH has learnt.
Our correspondent, who visited the property located on Plot 6 Ogun River Crescent, Maitama, a highbrow area in Abuja, learnt that the property is being used by the Presidential Committee on the North-East Intervention headed by Lt.-Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, a former Minister of Defence.
Our correspondent observed that the warning, ‘EFCC, Keep Off!’ which was written in red ink on the fence, had been wiped off.
However, a second building (although uncompleted) seized from Badeh, which is located directly opposite the one converted by the Federal Government, still has the EFCC inscription on its fence.
Some gardeners and other domestic workers were seen clearing the grass and sweeping the compound when our correspondent visited the place.
Our reporter, who entered into the main building, noticed that the rooms had been converted into offices while desks had been set up at strategic positions.
When our correspondent approached one of the workers, he said, “The property was given to us by the government to work. I know that the EFCC seized the property some months ago but it was given to us to work.”
The EFCC is prosecuting Badeh alongside a firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, on 10 counts of money laundering bordering on alleged fraudulent removal of about N3.97bn from the Nigerian Air Force account.
A former Director of Finance and Account of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Aliyu Yishau (retd.),who is a prosecution witness against Badeh, had informed the court that while Badeh was the Chief of Air Staff, he routinely helped Badeh to divert the sum of N558.2m by converting it to its dollar equivalent.
He said he personally helped Badeh to buy the N1.1bn property which has now been converted to Federal Government’s use.
He had said, “Sometime in January 2013, when I was taking the normal amount to him (Badeh) in dollars, he directed that we should pay for the house. So, he brought out the balance in dollars and made up the equivalent of N1.1bn.”
The EFCC lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), had told the court that the EFCC searched the property and recovered $1m in cash.
Jacobs said although Badeh had denied ownership of the property, his belongings, including photographs, were found in it during a search by the operatives of the commission.
Our correspondent learnt that the decision to convert Badeh’s property may be connected to the Federal Government’s plan to convert seized properties to government use and save cost.
It will be recalled that the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, had disclosed at the opening of a meeting with the members of the National Steering Committee of the Efficiency Unit on June 10, 2016, that the Muhammadu Buhari-led government was planning to convert some of the seized properties to offices in a bid to save money spent on rent.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tight security as Abia council polls hold today

Image
The Commissioner of Police in Abia State, Mr. Adeleye Oyebade, has said the State Police command will provide adequate security across the seventeen local government areas of the State to ensure a smooth conduct of the local government election today. He stated that the Nigerian constitution guarantees that there must be adequate security during elections at the local councils because the people at the grassroots were involved. Oyebade who spoke during a press conference with senior Police officers in Umuahia, the State Capital, pointed out that the command had mapped out its operational plans to secure the State during and after the election. He explained that leaders of various political parties in the State have been briefed regarding the conduct of their candidates and the electorate on the election day. He said, “Every credible election must be well planned, because proper planning prevents poor performance. So those of us that are stakeholders in the State h...
Read more

Confusion As ‘Cross Of Jesus’ Is Sighted In Nasarawa Mosque

Image
Residents of Assakio Development Area in Lafia, Nasarawa State were thrown into confusion on Saturday following the sudden appearance of a strange cross five feet away from a central mosque in the community. The mysterious sighting attracted a mammoth crowd from Assakio and its environs with many praying for forgiveness and blessings. Our correspondent observed that the illuminated cross was projected on to the ground. A 15 year-old-girl, Hajara Hussaini, in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, said she first sighted the sign of a cross at about 8pm on Wednesday. Hussaini, who said she had been sent on an errand by her parents, explained that when she saw a strange light, she as gripped by fear and rushed back home to alert her mother, Matan Liman. Confirming the incident to journalists, Matan said she had sent her daughter to visit her grandmother. The middle-aged woman added that her daughter saw the crucifix while returning from the errand. The Chief Imam of Assakio ...
Read more

Empress, Juliet Ibrahim in war of words over domestic violence

Image
Nigerian actress Empress Njama has also decided to voice their opinion on the issue of domestic violence. She however, seem to be the one of the few who has decided to fight for the men. She said, if a man hits a woman, it is called domestic violence but when a woman hit a man, what is it called? “There are men out there who are abused mentally by women through words and abuses than women who are been beaten physically  She however, maintained that she is not in support of men physically abusing a man, just that we needed to get it right on the issue of domestic violence “I’m not saying it is advisable for a man to beat up or assault a woman, but some women are headstrong that they can traumatize their partner mentally to the extent that he has no choice than to beat her up” She also made it clear that no marriage is without its challenges and that the two needs to work together to help it wor...
Read more