The remains of the 15th Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Alex Badeh, were yesterday lowered into the grave at the National Military Cemetery in Abuja.
The ex-CDS, an Air Chief Marshal who served under former president Goodluck Jonathan, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen on the Keffi-Abuja Expressway on December 18, 2018, when he was returning from his farm.
His remains were committed to mother earth after a prayer offered by a Group-Captain and the Director of the Air Force Chaplaincy, D.B. Gani, followed by the laying of wreaths at his grave.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, led others to perform the solemn ceremony.
He was followed by representatives of the Minister of Defence, Nuratu Batagarawa, Permanent Secretary in the ministry; Chief of Defence Staff, Abayomi Olonisakin; and Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.
Others were Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok-Ette Ibas; Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar; Mr Badeh’s wife, Mary; and a representative of Course 21, which Badeh belonged.
The ceremony was rounded off with a 21-gun salute in honour of the late CDS, who was also the 18th Chief of Air Staff.
Born on January 10, 1957, in Vimtim, Mubi North Local Government Area of Adamawa, then Gongola State, Mr Badeh acquired his secondary school education at Villanova Secondary School, Numan.
Thereafter, he proceeded to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in 1977 as a member of the 21 Regular Course and was commissioned as a pilot officer on July 3, 1979.
He attended both the junior and senior staff courses, rose through the ranks and was appointed the Chief of Air Staff on October 4, 2012.
On January 16, 2014, he was appointed the 15th Chief of Defence by ex-President Jonathan.
He is survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter.
Dignitaries at the occasion included the governors of Adamawa and Plateau, Umar Jibrilla and Simon Lalong; Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, John Jonah; and Deputy Speaker of Adamawa House of Assembly.
