Chairman of the Joint Investigative Panel, Major General Bamidele Shafa has said that a total of 20 persons participated in the murder of the former Chief of Defence Staff, Late Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (Rtd).
He spoke today, July 3, when 15 of the suspects were paraded to news men at the DHQ Garrison, Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja. He said that five other suspects are still on the run.
Badeh was attacked and killed last December along Kachia – Keffi Express way while returning from his farm.
General Bamidele Shafa confirmed that the murder of Badeh was “criminal and does not have any political undertone.
“Aside the killing of the retired senior Airforce officer, the suspects also admitted to the kidnap of one Engineer Joseph Okpetu who was with the former CDS and was later released after the payment of N2million ransom.”
He said that two AK 47 rifles, a Dane gun and other dangerous weapons were recovered from the homes of the suspects.
Suspects paraded included 35 year old Aliyu Usman, aka Chiroma, who is the ring leader of the notorious gang, 25 year old Shuaibu Rabo, a second in command and 45 year old Musa Muhammed aka Alhaji Lamido Tahara and was the third in command, while 30 years old Ibrahim Abdullahi aka Baba was the mastermind and facilitator of the crime.
Others are 18 years old Yahaya Nuhu, the biker that conveyed the ring leader to carry out the heinous crime.
According to the Chairman, the 15 suspects will be formally handed over to the appropriate agency for further investigation and prosecution.
