How former Defence chief bought N320m house for son in Abuja

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has been told how a former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh allegedly used public funds to acquire a 320 million naira mansion for his 28 years old son in Abuja.

Air Commodore Aliyu Yishau, Rtd, told the court that he was the Director of Finance and Accounts of the Nigeria Air Force when Badeh was the Chief of Air Staff between September 2012 and December 2013.

Yishau was testifying as prosecution witness PW1 in the trial of Badeh who is being prosecuted on a 10-count charge of breach of trust and corruption for allegedly stealing about N3.97 billion from NAF’s account.

Under cross-examination by Badeh’s lawyer, Akin Olujinmi SAN, Yishau said the N320 million house was the second  such property acquired in Wuse 2, Abuja by the former Chief of Defence Staff for his children, having earlier on acquired house No 19, Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II,   for his first son, Alex Badeh Jnr at N260 million.

He added that N60m was spent in renovating the house while a further N90m was expended on furnishing.

Explaining how he came about the information, the witness said he always went to Badeh's house to collect cash for the transactions.

“I collected the money from the 1st defendant’s (Badeh’s) residence. I took it to my house and asked them to come and collect it. I took the money to his house and he asked me to remove the equivalent of N260 million to pay for the house. I deducted the N260 million equivalent from the normal monthly N558.2 million I took to him.

“He  always authorised the deduction for payment whenever I took the monthly money to him. I did not give the house renovation job to Salau. I paid N60 million for the renovation of the house based on the instruction of my boss, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh,” he said.

Explaining how he paid for the furniture at No:19 Kumasi Crescent, Yishau said:
“When I received instruction from my boss, I directed my office at the Nigerian Air Force headquarters to liaise with Alex Badeh Jr and effect the payment of the N90 million.

“In my statement to the EFCC, I said the 1st defendant has two property in Wuse 2 that cost N260 million and N320 million. The house that cost N320 million is the house adjacent to No. 19 Kumasi Crescent, which was purchased from Honourable Bature.

“That was the one purchased for the last son of the 1st defendant, by name Kam. I cannot remember the address, but can identify it,” he said.