Air Commodore Salisu Abdullahi Yushau (retd), the former Director of Finance and Accounts at the Nigerian Air Force, revealed on Thursday, that all past Air Chief Marshals, diverted N558.2 million monthly from funds meant for the payment of salaries of Nigerian Air Force officials.
Yushau made the disclosure at the continued trial of the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
Badeh is alleged to have diverted over N3.9 billion from account of the force in 2013, to his personal use.
Yushua told the court that no could query the former Air Chiefs on how they spent the diverted funds.
“The practice of setting aside the N558.2 million was already there, even before I was appointed as the Director of Finance in 2010.”
He said the system was in place when he served under former Air Chief Marshal M.D. Umar from October 2010 to October 2012.
He further stated that he briefed Badeh about how his predecessors handled funds that accrued to the NAF when he assumed office and he decided to continue the practice.
“I gave the Chief the complete brief of the financial position of the Nigerian Air Force when he was appointed. From then he took control of the expenditure of the balance of N558.2 million which we monthly deducted from the salary account.”
Badeh’s trial was on Thursday, adjourned by till April 8 by Justice Okon Abang.
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