Armsgate: Witness Testifies How He Allegedly Acquired Choice Properties for Badeh

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

A witness in the ongoing arms procurement trial, Mr. Hussein A. Umar, has told Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja how he assisted former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (rtd) in the purchase of two properties in choice areas of Abuja.

Umar, a private legal practitioner who testified as PW3 while being led in evidence by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the court that he assisted Badeh and the erstwhile director of finance and accounts at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore Salisu Abdullahi Yushau in the purchase of two properties situated at No 6, Ogun River Street, Off Danube Street, Maitama, and No 14, Adzope Crescent, off Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja for the sums of N1.1 billion and N360 million respectively.

According to him, “Some time in 2012, Yushau called me to his house to tell me that his boss (Badeh) was interested in acquiring a befitting retirement home in Maitama. He asked me to source for the befitting accommodation which I did. When I got the property at 6, Ogun River Street, off Danube street, Maitama, we went for inspection and two days after, he (Badeh) met me at the said site at 8:30pm in a Toyota Tundra which Yushau drove.

“This was the first time I had ever met Badeh. He said I should go on with the process of legal searches on the property. After the search, Yushau and Badeh visited the property again, but this time with a lady who was introduced to me as the wife of Badeh; his son named Kam and his daughter, slim and smallish (in frame). They carried out joint inspections and they all were happy with the property. Yushau then gave me the go-ahead to negotiate with the owner of the property.

“The owner and I negotiated and agreed on an amount, N1.1 billion. I reported back to Yushau, who said he would get through to his boss.”

FURTHER DETAILS LATER