Slain former Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh’s wife and three children have been delisted from security agencies watch-list.
The removal of the names from the watch-list on compassionate ground will allow members of the immediate family to attend the burial of their patriarch.
Those on the watch-list are Mary Iya Badeh (wife); Alex Sabundu Badeh (Jr); Kamtafwa Badeh; and Asuamana Badeh.
The ex-CDS was shot dead on December 18 by some assailants along Keffi-Abuja Highway while returning from his farm.
Two suspects, including the man who allegedly hired the assailants and the suspect who pulled the trigger, have been arrested.
The police and other security agencies are on the trail of other suspects implicated in the murder.
It has been difficult for members of Badeh’s immediate family to return to Nigeria from abroad because they have been watch-listed for arrest by INTERPOL and other security agencies.
They were marked for arrest as a result of their alleged involvement in the alleged N3.9billion fraud against the late ex-CDS.
Most members of the immediate family fled abroad during the investigation and trial of Badeh.
The late Air Chief Marshal Badeh’s wife and children wrote EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu through their counsel, Mr. Akin Olujinmi (SAN) and Mr. Samuel Zibiri (SAN), for a “compassionate waiver” to return home for the burial of the ex-CDS.
Olujimi sent a letter on December 20, last year, Zibiri did a follow-up on January 2.
Olujinmi said: “Our instruction is to request you on compassionate grounds to delist from the watch-list the wife and all the children of late Air Marshal Alex Badeh, you may have included in the watch-list.
“According to our client, it was while they were preparing to return to the country to make arrangements for the burial of their father that they learnt that their names may be on the watch-list.
“It therefore becomes necessary to address this letter to you to request for their delisting from the watch-list.”
Zibiri wrote: “We write this as a follow up of a letter from Akin Olujinmi (SAN) of Messrs. Olujinmi and Akeredolu and Co. in respect of the above.
“We are by this letter formally applying for the delisting of names of members of the immediate family of late Air Chief Marshal Badeh from the watch-list to enable them return to the country without molestation in order to make arrangement for the burial of their father, late Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh.
“As counsel to the family, we write to assure you that they will be available to attend to the commission’s invitation whenever they are needed for questioning on any matter relating to the charges/allegations if any that may assist the commission for clarifications.”
An EFCC source confirmed that Magu on Monday approved the request of the wife and the three children. He noted the plea by the lawyers to the ex-CDS in agreeing to the delisting.
“The EFCC has written the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Immigration Service(NIS), the Nigeria Customs Service(NCS), and other security agencies to de-list Badeh’s wife and children,” the source said, pleading not to be named.