Witness: How Badeh Used N800m NAF Fund for Shopping Mall

A prosecution witness, Nuhu Dalhatu, yesterday told a Federal High Court in Abuja that about N800 million used for the construction of a shopping mall linked to Air Marshall Alex Badeh, a former Chief of Defence Staff, was traced to the Nigeria Air Force, (NAF) account.

Badeh, also a former Chief of Air Staff, is standing trial along Iyalikam Nigeria Limited on a 10-count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal breach of trust and corruption to the tune of N3.97 billion brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

While being led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Dalhatu, a forensic analyst with the EFCC, told the court that investigations were carried out on a number of properties, linked to Badeh, one of which was the shopping mall located at 2, Oda Crescent.

“I was asked to investigate the procurement scam that was linked to the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA), and Nigeria Air Force arms procurement contracts,” he said.

Dalhatu, who is the 17th prosecution witness, told the court that the property located at 19, Kumasi Crescent, was linked to his son. According to him, his son was invited for interrogation, during which it was discovered that the property was bought at about N260 million through a former NAF Director of Finance.

“We were assigned five properties to investigate, including 19, Kumasi Crescent, Wuse 2; 6, Ogun River, Maitama; 2, Nelson Mandela Street, Asokoro; 2, Oda Crescent, off Adis Ababa Crescent, Wuse 2 and a plaza on Ahmadu Bello, Garki 2,” he said.

“In the course of investigation, we found out that the property located at 2, Oda Crescent, was a five floor mall, under construction,” he said.

He explained further that: “The construction company (Rytebuilders Technologies Limited) was invited, and we requested for its project account. Upon analysis of the Zenith Bank account of the company, we discovered that about N800 million out of the N1.2 billion total turnover, was from the NAF106B and NAF camp accounts from the Mogadishu Barracks, and it was authorized by E.A. Abu and Air Commodore Seyi.”

According to him, both of them were invited for questioning and they both admitted that: “For a period of seven months, N200 million from the account was transferred to Badeh.”

Further hearing in the matter continues on May 2, 3 and 4, 2017.