A report by The Authority indicates that President Muhammadu Buhari has directed government agencies to occupy properties seized from past government officials. According to the report, the first among several of such buildings to be taken over by the agencies are the forfeited mansions of former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh. One of the seized Badeh’s mansions, which President Buhari has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to hand over to the agencies, is located in Wuse 2 in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). This was the same situation obtainable under the government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. The EFCC had seized several mansions allegedly acquired by Badeh with funds released by the Goodluck Jonathan administration to fight the Boko Haram terrorists and to resolve other security matters. Badeh is one of the military officers that are being investigated and prosecuted by the present administration for corruption. He was arrested last year by the EFCC for allegedly stealing from the $2.1 billion Arms Funds – making him liable to the forfeiture of some of the choice property reportedly bought from the proceeds of the ill-gotten funds. Sources within the EFCC confirmed that the anti-graft agency is already finalising the process by applying the forfeiture clause in the case. The delay is said to be caused by the EFCC counsel, who asked for more time, because the buildings were being presented before the court as exhibits to prosecute Badeh.
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