Alex Badeh
The high profile murder of former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh came too cheaply. It has set tongues wagging with many insinuations, prompting Ahamefula Ogbu to ask who killed him
Conspiracy theories and speculations are rife and appear to be the only things Nigerians can hold on to over the shocked killing of the former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh. Although the Nigerian Air Force, his force of primary enlistment has vowed that they were already making progress in unravelling his killers, the long list of unresolved violent murders across the country make the promise a near hot air until proved otherwise. However the ability of the Army to resolve the murder of General Idris Alkali might make such vow to hold a promise.
Latest information on the incident has it that he was killed by men in uniform who set up a road block along his route which was dismantled after gun shots were heard in the evening announcing the killing of the former Defence Chief make it appear either as accidental discharge or outright targeted killing for which many tend to tag an assassination. Already, President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered security agencies to fish out perpetrators of the heinous act.
The former CDS was pumped with hot lead on December 18 while returning from his farm in Keffi, Nassarawa State when his car was attacked, his driver who was presumed killed in the attack is said to be recuperating in an Air Force facility while his farm manager was reportedly kidnapped raising the issue of how such high profile Nigerian could have been easily taken out. His killing has provided politicians with an opportunity to use it to their political ends as fingers are pointing in different directions in blames and justifications.
The killing was further complicated by the non-removal of any of the personal effects of the late General.
Conundrums that agitate the mind are whether full compliment of the security he was entitled to as a former CDS was provided and whether soft body cars were supposed to be his official issue? Others include if Badeh on his own will, dropped the armoured car he was supposed to be driving in as well as dropped the security personnel that were supposed to protect him.
President Buhari had while condemning the brutal murder of Badeh as “very sad and unfortunateâ€, directed security agencies to quickly find the killers and bring them to book. He also regretted that the killing signposted the hazards which road users were exposed to and charged those under whose purview stopping the trend rested on to up their ante and ensure safety of Nigerians everywhere.
Official position of both the Air Force and the Defence Headquarters are to the effect that his security details were not withdrawn while sources claim that his security was withdrawn which he wrote to protest before he was cut down.
Most of the suspicions appear to gain traction from the fact that he was out of favour with the present administration as he was docked for graft on alleged diversion of billions in local and foreign currencies with which he was alleged to have bought properties and made other illicit investments
The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, through its Public Relations and Information officer, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola has tagged most positions on the killing as “misinformation†and charged people to stop henceforth as such could adversely affect the outcome of their investigations and ongoing operations.
â€Other reports allege that adequate security was not provided for the deceased Air Chief Marshal.
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