Alex Badeh: Life And Times Of The Man Who Flew Two Former US Presidents

Alex Sabundu Badeh was born on 10 January, 1957 in Vimtim, a little town in Mubi Local Government Area of Adamawa State, North East Nigeria into a family of peasant farmers.

He attended Vimtim Primary School, Vimtim and went on to obtain his school certificate from Villanova Secondary School in 1976 before proceeding to the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1977 as a member of the 21 Regular Course.

Alex Badeh was commissioned Pilot Officer on 3 July 1979. He commenced his flying career at the 301 Flying Training School on the Bulldog Primary Trainer aircraft in 1979. Between 1981 and 1982 he attended the Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance Air Force Base in the United States Air Force. He was at the 301 Flying Training School (FTS) as a squadron pilot and later became an instructor pilot on the Bull Dog and DO-228 aircraft.

He attended the junior staff course at Armed Forces Command and Staff College in 1988. Between 1995 and 1996 he attended the senior staff course at same institution. In 2005 he was at the National War College Nigeria as a member of Course 14 and graduated in August 2006. The Air Marshal holds an M.Sc. degree in Strategic Studies from the University of Ibadan.

Air Marshal Badeh was promoted Air Vice Marshal on 3 January 2008. Between 2008 and 2009, he was a Directing Staff at the National Defence College, Abuja, Nigeria and subsequently became the Director National Military Strategy at the same college. Thereafter, he moved to Defence Headquarters as Deputy Director Training and later became the Director of Research at the Defence Headquarters. From October 2010 to March 2012, Air Marshal Badeh moved to Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force as Chief of Policy and Plans. Subsequently, in March 2012, he was appointed Air Officer Commanding Training Command, Kaduna. In October 2012, Badeh became the 18th Chief of Air Staff. He attended Safety International Institute at Teterboro in New York for a course in Simulator Recurrence, which deepened his knowledge on Air Safety Operations.

During the Olusegun Obasanjo’s presidency, Alex Badeh was Commander of the Presidential Fleet. He logged over 6000 flying hours shuttling VIPs, dignitaries, top government officials and Heads of State. He was given the green light to fly former United States Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter on different occasions after extensive check was done by the United States Secret Service.

Alex‪ander Badeh was appointed Chief of Defence Staff in January 2014. He held the post till July 13, 2015, when he was retired by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Shortly after his retirement, Alex‪ander Badeh had faced a court trial for alleged theft of defence funds during his tenure. He, however, denied involvement in any misconduct.

Badeh was assassinated on Tuesday, 18th December 2018, barely a month to his 62nd birthday.

He gave up the ghost after he sustained wounds from gunshots when his vehicle was attacked while returning from his farm along Abuja-Keffi Road.‬