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Badeh Met Aisha Buhari, Kyari Before Assassination – Report

Published

5 years ago

December 22, 2018

A close associate of the deceased claimed that he confided in him that Mrs Buhari told Badeh that only Kyari could help him.

It has been revealed that the former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh met with Aisha, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, and the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, over his trial for corruption three weeks before he was shot dead by unknown gunmen along Abuja-Keffi Road on Tuesday.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that Badeh, who was facing trial for alleged fraud, criminal breach of trust and money laundering, allegedly met with Aisha Buhari to seek her intervention in his legal troubles which were reportedly taking an emotional and financial toll on him.

A close associate of the deceased claimed that he confided in him that Mrs Buhari told Badeh that only Kyari could help him.

“Badeh stated that Aisha Buhari then took him to Kyari, but the COS was non-committal. He asked the ex-CDS to call him back, but he (Kyari) was unreachable since the meeting which took place about three weeks ago,” the source, a former paramilitary officer, said.

Meanwhile, there are strong indications that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will not spare Badeh’s properties despite his passing.

An EFCC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that the anti-graft agency was determined to pursue the ongoing trial to a conclusive end and recover all illegally acquired properties by the deceased.

Acting spokesman for the EFCC, Tony Orilade, could not be reached by our correspondent for his reaction to the issue as of the time of filing this report on Friday.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, could not respond immediately. A text message sent to him was still being awaited as of the time of filing this report.