Among those, who condemned the killing was President Muhammadu Buhari, who ordered security agencies to urgently find the killers.
Buhari, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, condoled with the family of the deceased, his associates and the government and the people of his home state, Adamawa.
“He directs security agencies to find the killers of the 15th Chief of Defence Staff and bring them to face the full force of the law, while ensuring greater security and safety for all users of the country’s roads.”
Badeh complained he was being monitored before his death
Before he was killed by suspected assassins on Tuesday, Badeh had reportedly complained to his associates and friends that he was being monitored by unknown people.
It was learnt that he equally complained that his lines were bugged by unidentified people.
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An associate of the deceased, who spoke on condition of anonymity, informed one of our correspondents that Badeh had also reported an attempt by unidentified persons to break into his home in Asokoro, Abuja, last month to security agents.
The source, however, added that their investigation did not yield any result.
The source said, “The ex-CDS was always telling us his friends that he was not feeling safe even though he has about 10 armed operatives guarding him. He complained that he was being monitored and that his phone lines were bugged.
“We advised him to leave the country, but he refused, saying there was nowhere he could go that the government would not extradite him.
“He said that if he travelled out of the country, and decided not to return, the government would say he had run away because of the corruption case against him. See the end now. Which one is better now, to leave the country or be killed?”
It was learnt that the freezing of his bank accounts by the EFCC had made him insolvent and he could not pay his domestic and farm workers.
It was further gathered that Badeh went to his farm located off the Abuja-Keffi highway to harvest maize and other crops which he hoped to sell in order to pay the workers when he was murdered while returning home.
Another source, who is an intimate friend of the deceased, explained that Badeh had no avenue to raise money as all his properties had been seized by the EFCC.
He added, “Apart from the fact that the ex-CDS was broke, the endless trial was also taking a toll on him. He actually went to the farm to harvest maize and other crops so he could pay his domestic and farm workers when his assailants struck.
“It is such a big tragedy that a retired top military officer could be gunned down like that. We suspect that his death was politically motivated.”
It was gathered that Badeh lived alone while his wife resides in London. One of his three children was said to be a pilot in the United States military.
Ex-generals express shock, demand FG investigation
One of our correspondents, at the former CDS’s residence on Wednesday in Asokoro, Abuja, observed that a condolence register had been opened for him, while serving and retired senior military officers thronged the building to condole with the family.
Some of the retired generals expressed shock at the murder, urging the Federal Government and “the police to fish out the dastardly killers.”
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