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24 Hours After Ordering For Their Probe, Govt Freezes Bank Accounts Of Ex-service Chiefs
Shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari mandated the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) ordered the probe some serving and retired military chiefs and companies alleged to have participated in the fraudulent arms purchases for the Air Force between 2007 and 2015, indications last night that the appropriate government agencies might have placed restriction on the accounts of Badeh and the others being probed along with him.
Some of the person directed to be investigated include the culpability of the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh; former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Umar (2010 -2012) and the immediate past Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu,
Also lined up for investigation by the anti-graft agency are 14 other retired and serving military officers and 21 firms said to have been awarded the contracts.
The military authorities have already recalled two of the officers listed for interrogation by EFCC from terminal leave.
Highly placed sources said yesterday that the second leg of investigation of procurement deals in the army has already been concluded.
This aspect of the investigation, a source said yesterday, “traced some deals to two ex-Chiefs of Army Staff and 14 others.”
“The recommendations on these serving and retired officers have been referred to the presidency.One of the officers even diverted arms funds for political purposes,” the source added.
“So, what we did was just to wrap up the report on the sleaze in the Nigerian Air Force for consideration by the Presidency. We are doing it in batches.”
Other sources said that a restriction order had been placed on the accounts of ex-CDS Badeh and the 17 other retired and serving officers facing interrogation.
Some of those affected are the most senior Air Force officer, AVM A. M. Mamu(the Chief of Administration); AVM O.T. Oguntoyinbo (former Director of Production, Defence Headquarters); AVM R.A. Ojuawo (Air Officer Tactical Air Command, Makurdi); AVM J.B. Adigun(former Chief of Accounts and Budgeting in NAF); AVM JA Kayode-Beckley(Director, Armament Research in Air Force Research and Development Centre); AVM T Omenyi (MD, NAF Holdings); four top officers at the Defence Headquarters(DHQ), Air Cdre AO Ogunjobi; Air Cdre GMD Gwani; Air Cdre SO Makinde; Air Cdre AY Lassa and Col. N. Ashinze , who was the Special Military Assistant to the ex-National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki.
