There was an uneasy calm during the trial of former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, after armed policemen stormed the courtroom.
Alex Badeh in court
A mild drama occurred on Thursday morning at the Federal High Court in Abuja as armed policemen stormed the courtroom when the trial of a former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh was about to commence.
According to Daily Post, the presence of the armed policemen was informed by security threats against the judge.
A source, who spoke to our correspondent on the ground of anonymity, said “The reason for the presence of heavily armed police men is as a result of security threats against the trial judge.”
Justice Okon Abang, while responding to an enquiry by Badeh’s counsel, Akin Olujimi ordered the policemen to stay outside the courtroom saying, “their presence is a court issue.”
Badeh is facing an 11-count charge of criminal breach of trust and corruption to the tune of N3.9bn leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The EFCC had alleged that the former defence chief used funds of the Nigeria Air Force to purchase choice property in Abuja.
According to the anti-graft agency, Badeh illegally used N60m to renovate his son’s house, which he purchased for N260m in Abuja between January and December 2013.
The ex-defence chief is also alleged to have used N878m – being funds of the air force – to build a shopping mall in Abuja.