Gunmen kill ex-Chief of Defence Staff Alex Badeh

Driver also killed in Abuja-Keffi Road attack

Air Chief commiserates with family

A former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Air Chief Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh, has been shot dead.

He was said to have been killed with his driver on the Abuja-Keffi highway. He was 61.

According to a top military source, Badeh was returning from his farm when his vehicle came under attack.

The source said the ex-CDS was without a military escort expected of his rank because he went to his farm.

It was learnt that the late Air Chief Marshal was rushed to a hospital at the military cantonment popularly called Abacha Barracks, where he was pronounced dead.

A statement by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) also confirmed Air Chief Marshal Badeh’s death.

The statement by NAF Director of Public Relations and Information Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola said: “ It is with a heavy heart that I regretfully announce the unfortunate demise of former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh, who died today, 18 Dec 18, from gunshot wounds sustained when his vehicle was attacked while returning from his farm on Abuja-Keffi Road.

“On behalf of officers, airmen and airwomen of the Nigerian Air Force, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, commiserates with the family of the late former Chief of Defence Staff over this irreparable loss.

“We pray that the Almighty God grants his soul eternal rest. Details later.”

The ex-CDS was killed barely a month to the opening of his defence on the alleged N3.97billion fraud preferred against him by the Federal Government.

The court fixed January  16, 2019 for his defence after his application for a no-case submission failed.

Badeh was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of the 21 Regular Course on 3 January 1977, and was commissioned Pilot Officer on 3 July 1979. He began his flying career at the 301 Flying Training School on the Bulldog Primary Trainer aircraft in 1979. Between 1981 and 1982, he attended the Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance Air Force Base in the United States Air Force. He was at the 301 Flying Training School (FTS) as a squadron pilot and later became an instructor pilot on the Bull Dog and DO-228 aircraft.

He attended the junior staff course at Armed Forces Command and Staff College in 1988. Between 1995 and 1996, he attended the senior staff course at same institution. In 2005, he was at the National War College Nigeria as a member of Course 14 and graduated in August 2006. The Air Marshal holds an M.Sc. degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan.

Badeh was Commander of the Presidential Fleet during the Olusegun Obasanjo presidency.  As Chief of Air Staff, he initiated Optimizing Local Engineering (OLE 1 and 2) to focus on developing indigenous Unarmed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and other weapon systems.[citation needed] The OLE teams consisted of Nigerian Air Force officers with PhDs and master’s degrees in various fields of aerospace design, avionic and armament specializations from the Cranfield University in the UK. In February 2016 Alex Badeh was accused of financial misappropriation by the EFCC during his tenure as service chief. Badeh has denied involvement in any misconduct