I have up till this moment resisted the urge to pick my pen and write about the shameful and unfortunate death of Alex Badeh, our 15th Chief of Defence staff. My hesitation was born out of rage at the utter silence of the government. How would an ex-COAS be killed in such a gruesome and demeaning manner and get such little reaction from the government? For the record, no human being has any right whatsoever to take the life of another human in any manner irrespective of how highly esteemed or lowly placed.

Perhaps, my displeasure at such a demeaning act would have been abated somewhat if the government has done it's job as it ought and launched into uninhibited action in investigating Alex Badeh's death.

You might wonder why I am not just angry but outraged, how come I couldn't just like any other 'strong' man look away? Afterall, it is none of my business you might say. In answering these questions and more, I believe that the time is right to let my voice be heard and set the record straight so that when the history of Badeh's assassination is being told, posterity will at least vindicate me as not being silent as the mute multitude of the present polity; that I spoke despite the inclination to be otherwise rather than take the easy way out like the complacent others. May this be a memorial raised to unborn generations, an ensign of reference.

As an addedum to the foregoing reasons for voicing out, I had the opportunity of being in a circle where Air Chief Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh's death was being discussed, then I realize the level of ignorance amidst my folks, and how we discriminate because a person as by the providence of time and chance came to occupy a public or political office. My fellow discussants opined that they were not concerned, afterall he siphoned our funds. One even said to me: Deji, when Boko-Haram and Fulani-herdsmen were killing innocent citizens, you did not pick your pen to criticize the government against such killings. But now when just one person dies, you speak with a voice raised loudly to the heavens, all because you did not support President Muhammadu Buhari.

When Nigerians speak to me in such manner, I gift them with my silence because it is golden. How people forget that in my space I did not support Goodluck Jonathan's bid for re-election because for me, the first test of governance is to safeguard the life and property of the citizenry, one duty I do not see the present Head of State excelling at either.

I speak on Chief Badeh's death because of it's implications on our national identity. For a man to have been privileged to serve the nation is the capacity Badeh did at least deserves to be honored and some respect, irrespective of individual prejudice. The fact remains that I would still maintain my position if it was not Chief Alex Badeh - essentially, I respect the office, not the man.

To scale through the ranks and occupy the positions the Air Chief attained in his professional journey one must have spent over two decades in the Nigerian Armed Forces. In that capacity, one's level of infulence and intelligence on national and global security is a vault of treasure.

I speak confidently and unequivocally that for a person in the rank and position of chief of Armed Forces whether past or present, one is entitled to the presence of a security detail around-the-clock. The position gives you access to intelligence that even the president is not privy to. In the intelligence circle, it is called "holding democracy in balance".

When such a person is assisanted then you know questions need to be asked and answers provided. If I may ask, where were the people in his security details? Was his Aide-de-camp absent or on leave with the Chief left alone on a dangerous road at that odd hour of the day?

Let us be clear here, only a professional especially one that is well trained with alot of intelligence married with insider information that will have the guts to kill a man like Alex Sabundu Badeh at short range. It is synonymous to assassinating an Ex-President.

Lastly and for now, except by some weird twist of fate, this kind of operation cannot be carried out without the backing of at least a personnel in the topmost echelon of our military. Either the President, the National Security Adviser or the Chief of Armed Forces possess the green pen to sign the death approval of such a high profile personal like Badeh.

I will be surprised if the presidency confirm my assersation, absolute denial and politicking is what I expect of them. Let them just be informed that some of us know better and cannot be swayed by cheap press releases. We know that the presidency is rich will serious intelligence and details even globally.

I know the truth about Alex Badeh's death will be buried like those of Gani Fawehinmi, Bola Ige, Karo Saro-Wiwa, Funsho Williams and  others. The information will only be privy to those in the closed cult of the initiated and powerful.

It is just a pity that our nation has become more unfit for living under an Ex-General and I am more than disappointed.

Thank you.

God bless you and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Adewumi Adedeji
Writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

08082790452
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
@_AdewumiAdedeji
#DPresidentDiary.

Nobody is safe in the zoo called Nigeria.

conspiracy theories.. abeg park well!!......all I know is the killers shall not go unpunished

[s]

Dejikohen:
I have up till this moment resisted the urge to pick my pen and write about the shameful and unfortunate death of Alex Badeh, our 15th Chief of Defence staff. My hesitation was born out of rage at the utter silence of the government. How would an ex-COAS be killed in such a gruesome and demeaning manner and get such little reaction from the government? For the record, no human being has any right whatsoever to take the life of another human in any manner irrespective of how highly esteemed or lowly placed.

Perhaps, my displeasure at such a demeaning act would have been abated somewhat if the government has done it's job as it ought and launched into uninhibited action in investigating Alex Badeh's death.

You might wonder why I am not just angry but outraged, how come I couldn't just like any other 'strong' man look away? Afterall, it is none of my business you might say. In answering these questions and more, I believe that the time is right to let my voice be heard and set the record straight so that when the history of Badeh's assassination is being told, posterity will at least vindicate me as not being silent as the mute multitude of the present polity; that I spoke despite the inclination to be otherwise rather than take the easy way out like the complacent others. May this be a memorial raised to unborn generations, an ensign of reference.

As an addedum to the foregoing reasons for voicing out, I had the opportunity of being in a circle where Air Chief Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh's death was being discussed, then I realize the level of ignorance amidst my folks, and how we discriminate because a person as by the providence of time and chance came to occupy a public or political office. My fellow discussants opined that they were not concerned, afterall he siphoned our funds. One even said to me: Deji, when Boko-Haram and Fulani-herdsmen were killing innocent citizens, you did not pick your pen to criticize the government against such killings. But now when just one person dies, you speak with a voice raised loudly to the heavens, all because you did not support President Muhammadu Buhari.

When Nigerians speak to me in such manner, I gift them with my silence because it is golden. How people forget that in my space I did not support Goodluck Jonathan's bid for re-election because for me, the first test of governance is to safeguard the life and property of the citizenry, one duty I do not see the present Head of State excelling at either.

I speak on Chief Badeh's death because of it's implications on our national identity. For a man to have been privileged to serve the nation is the capacity Badeh did at least deserves to be honored and some respect, irrespective of individual prejudice. The fact remains that I would still maintain my position if it was not Chief Alex Badeh - essentially, I respect the office, not the man.

To scale through the ranks and occupy the positions the Air Chief attained in his professional journey one must have spent over two decades in the Nigerian Armed Forces. In that capacity, one's level of infulence and intelligence on national and global security is a vault of treasure.

I speak confidently and unequivocally that for a person in the rank and position of chief of Armed Forces whether past or present, one is entitled to the presence of a security detail around-the-clock. The position gives you access to intelligence that even the president is not privy to. In the intelligence circle, it is called "holding democracy in balance".

When such a person is assisanted then you know questions need to be asked and answers provided. If I may ask, where were the people in his security details? Was his Aide-de-camp absent or on leave with the Chief left alone on a dangerous road at that odd hour of the day?

Let us be clear here, only a professional especially one that is well trained with alot of intelligence married with insider information that will have the guts to kill a man like Alex Sabundu Badeh at short range. It is synonymous to assassinating an Ex-President.

Lastly and for now, except by some weird twist of fate, this kind of operation cannot be carried out without the backing of at least a personnel in the topmost echelon of our military. Either the President, the National Security Adviser or the Chief of Armed Forces possess the green pen to sign the death approval of such a high profile personal like Badeh.

I will be surprised if the presidency confirm my assersation, absolute denial and politicking is what I expect of them. Let them just be informed that some of us know better and cannot be swayed by cheap press releases. We know that the presidency is rich will serious intelligence and details even globally.

I know the truth about Alex Badeh's death will be buried like those of Gani Fawehinmi, Bola Ige, Karo Saro-Wiwa, Funsho Williams and  others. The information will only be privy to those in the closed cult of the initiated and powerful.

It is just a pity that our nation has become more unfit for living under an Ex-General and I am more than disappointed.

Thank you.

God bless you and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Adewumi Adedeji
Writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

08082790452
Dejijupiter@gmail.com
@_AdewumiAdedeji
#DPresidentDiary.

[/s]

Why was it that we nigerians did know that killing is one thing,politics is another and crime is something else..why mix Alex badeh assasination with politics and imagine that it did not matter.

Deji, it's ur take and u're entitled to it.

Killing Badeh in that manner is akin to assasinating an Ex-president. I hope the former ex service and intelligence chiefs are taking serious measures.

Some arrest have been made, let's wait for their 'confession'.

If you critize the previous administration for insecurity and have suddenly lost your voice now, do well to look in the mirror for the definition of hypocrisy.