After months of speculations, accusations and counter-accusations, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has finally filed a 10-count criminal charge against the former Chief of Defense Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, at an Abuja Federal High court.

Badeh is accused of misappropriating money meant for the Nigerian Airforce and using it to acquire properties in Abuja.

He is also accused of using N60 million to renovate the home of his son, Alex Badeh Jnr, who is said to be currently at large.

Furthermore, he is alleged to have paid N878, 362, 732, 94‎ into the account of Rytebuilders Technologies Limited for the construction of a shopping mall in Abuja.

Equally named in the suit, as the second defendant, is a Nigerian firm, Iyalikam Nigerian Limited.

Count one ‎of the charge against Badeh reads:

“That you Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh (whilst being the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force) and Iyalikan Nigeria Limited, between January and December, 2013, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable ‎court, did use dollar equivalent of the sum of N1, 100, 000, 000.00 (One Billion, One Hundred Million Naira only), removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force, to purchase for yourselves a mansion situate at No. 6 Ogun River Street, Off Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja, when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds formed part of proceed of unlawful activity (to wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) of Air Chief Marshal Alex S. Badeh, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act”.

Mazi Emeka