Nigeria's ex-defence chief raided staff salary funds

Nigeria's former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, has been accused of buying  property including a five point five million dollar mansion with air force money, passing off his fraudulent withdrawals as staff salaries.  

He has also been accused of diverting 19 point eight million dollars for his own use.  

Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh who is on trial at a federal high court in Abuja was arrested as part of a wide-ranging anti-corruption campaign by President Muhammadu Buhari. 

He has denied 10 counts of fraud, criminal breach of trust and money laundering. 

The Finance Director under Badeh when he was Chief of Air Staff at the time of the alleged offences in 2013 Air Commodore Salisu Abdullahi Yushau said he exchanged 558 point two million naira for dollars every month on his boss's instructions. 

The money was part of some four billion naira set aside for monthly salaries for Air Force personnel.


NEWS24