The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has directed an investigation into the payrolls of the Army, Air Force and Navy by the Continuous Audit Team in order to avoid diversion of monthly salaries of the personnel.

A statement from the press unit of the ministry signed by the Director, Information, Salisu Na’inna Dambatta, said the Continuous Audit Team was charged with the responsibility of scrutinizing the payrolls of the three services which were yet to be put on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) to block leakages.

The ministry said the investigation followed revelations in the course of the trial of a former Chief of Defence Staff, retired Air Marshal Alex Badeh, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, that N558.2m was diverted monthly from the Nigeria Air Force account into private pockets.