TheCable

Salisu Abdullahi, a former director of finance of the Nigeria air force, on Monday, admitted to owning property across three states in the country.

Abdullahi, who had testified against Alex Badeh, former chief of defence, at the federal high court in Abuja, also admitted that some of his property had been marked for investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

However, Abdullahi, a principal witness of the EFCC, while being crossed examined by Samuel Zibiri, one of Badeh’s lawyers, claimed that he bought some of the property with “housing” loans.

“Besides your the property you live in, you have other property that has been marked by the EFCC?” Badeh’s lawyer asked.

“No. I don’t,” Abdullahi answered.

Badeh’s lawyer: “Tell us the houses you own that have been marked by the EFCC?”

Abdullahi: “The house at No 8b Danube street, Wuse 2, where I live.”

Badeh’s lawyer: “What of the one in Kaduna?”

Abdullahi: “I have a car park which I purchased in 2002 when I returned from America. Then I have my house at N0 5c Sultan close, Kaduna. That’s where my family live. It was purchased through federal housing loan. I have two uncompleted houses in Kaduna- one is at Tafawa Balewa way, the other one is at Ibrahim Biu road. The proceeds from the sale of my office at Wuye, Abuja, were used to buy the two plots of land that I started developing.”

Badeh’s lawyer: “What was the value of the property at Wuye?”

Abdullahi: “The time I bought the property it was N45m in early 2010. I sold it for N320m in 2015.”

Badeh’s lawyer: “How were you paid for the Wuye property?”

Abdullahi: “Through bank transfer.”

Badeh’s lawyer: “Are you telling this court that these are the only property that you declared before the EFCC?”

Abdullahi: “I also have one at Lamido road in Kaduna.”

Badeh’s lawyer: “In Kano how many property do you have?”

Abdullahi: “Only the one I live in at Railway Quarters, Kano. I tried to sell it at N80m in 2015. But nobody bought it.”

Badeh’s lawyer: “All these property that were marked by the EFCC, are they still under investigation?

Abdullahi: “Yes they are.”

At this point, Akin Olujimi (SAN), Badeh’s lead counsel, took over the exercise asking the witness if the defendant bought some of the property he was alleged to have purchased himself.

Badeh’s lead counsel: “Has the defendant paid for any of the property himself?”

Abdullahi: “He has never bought a property himself, he inspects the property himself before giving me money to buy it.”

Badeh’s lead counsel: “Does the chief of staff require a written statement to instruct you to buy an item?”

Abdullahi: “No. I only carry out the order. I don’t have an opinion of my own.”

Badeh’s lead counsel: “Did you ask the defendant for a written instruction in respect of the alleged expenditures?”

“No I did not.”

Previously in his testimony, Abdullahi, had claimed that Badeh instructed him to buy some choice property for himself and his children in Abuja.