FORMER Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), Alex Badeh, is dead. Badeh was a retired Air Chief Marshal.
His death was announced by the spokesperson of the Nigeria Air Force (NAF), Ibikunle Daramola, through a statement on Tuesday night, saying that Badeh was shot “when his vehicle was attacked while returning from his farm along Abuja-Keffi Road”.
Badeh was appointed Chief of Air Staff (CAS) by former President Goodluck Jonathan and later became CDS, replacing Vice Admiral Ola Ibrahim.
Before his appointment as CDS, Badeh had served as the 19th Chief of the Air Staff of Nigeria. He was the fourth air force officer to hold the position. He was the third Air Chief Marshall in Nigerian history.
Badeh started his flying career at the 301 Flying Training School on the Bulldog Primary Trainer aircraft in 1979. In 1982, he attended the Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance Air Force Base in the United States Air Force. He also attended the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, and National War College Nigeria as a member of Course 14.
As at the time of his death, Bade was facing a corruption trial brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly diverting about N3.97 billion from NAF’s account.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was briefly remanded in Kuje Prison in Abuja before he was later granted bail with the sum of N2 billion.
During the course of Badeh’s trial, witnesses told the court how he approved hundreds of millions, sometimes in dollars, to be released from the NAF account, and used same to purchase choice properties in Abuja, including a mall and mansions for his children.
The case is still ongoing at the Federal High Court, Abuja.