24
Sep
There was more outrage yesterday over the smuggling of $9.3million from Nigeria into South Africa purportedly to buy arms.
Islamic body Jama’atu Nasir Islam (JNI) expressed disbelief that such a mission was undertaken ostensibly on behalf of government.
Senate Minority Leader Geroge Akume expressed “utmost dismay and anger” over the matter. He criticised Christian Association of Nigerian (CAN) President Ayo Oritsejafor for his role in the matter.
The CAN leader has admitted having a “residual interest” in Eagle Airline Limited, owners of the Bombadier jet to ferry the cash from Abuja to Johannesburg on September 5”.
He, however, said the plan had been leased to another company since August. The company gave the plane out on charter.
Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) expressed disbelief over the impounding of the jet in South Africa, laden with $9.3 million in cash, purportedly to buy arms in the country, saying that the matter became more of concern to JNI because the government has full knowledge of it, despite its illegality.
A statement by JNI Secretary General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu in Kaduna yesterday said: “Government should tell Nigerians the real fact on the issue. We hope the matter will not be wheedled with. However, we note with dismay the unguarded utterances of some leaders that they will call on their followers to defend themselves.
“Also we note the uncourteous speeches attacking other leaders, which leave much to be desired and overheat the polity.
“JNI demands answers to why were the presidential fleet of jets not used? Is government short of official agents which necessitated assigning non official ones? With the current trend of cashless financial transaction, why is such huge amount carried in cash? And isn’t arms deals executed via third parties?
“Where is the Ministry of Defence and the office of the National Security Adviser? Was due process followed through relevant government agencies? And are bilateral matters dealt with in that way?”
The apex Islamic body in the North also urged Senators and Reps to rise initiate a special discussion on the matter, which according to it, as urgent public interest revolves on it, as it relates to threat to national security.
“The EFCC must wholly play its role in this direction by prosecuting those involved to adequately face the wrath of the law. It doesn’t matter whose ox is gored.
“We are in support of any move to restore peace and security and we will not waiver. We commend the efforts of security agents in the fight against terrorism and the successes so far achieved,” the statement added.
Akume statement said the circumstances surrounding the incident suggested that those ferrying the money did it in open breach of Nigerian and international laws.
“South Africa has already established a prima facie case of criminality involved in the questionable misadventure.”
Pastor Oritsejafor’s arguments are unsustainable because he has vicarious liability at several levels. One, the vessel used for criminal activity belongs to him. Secondly, he commercially leased the vessel to Eagle Air, which is a company he holds an interest in and which in turn further leased same to the company that converted it to commercial use with his full knowledge and approval. The chain of ethical liability is unbroken. How will the pastor explain his involvement with people engaged in the murky waters of international arms trafficking?”
“The President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, claimed that his congregation donated this same jet to him on the 40th anniversary of his ministry sometime in 2012 for the purpose of attending to his flock and doing God’s work. The plane, a Bombardier Challenger 600, was registered as a privately owned jet supposedly for pastoral use. However, the three passengers arrested in South Africa with the aircraft were definitely not on pastoral visit to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“Unfortunately, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has jumped into this fray, hurling insults on respectable members of the society and making statements that are more political than spiritual. I wish to remind officials of CAN that when on 27th August, 1976, Christian leaders first met at the Catholic secretariat, Lagos, they agreed to establish an organisation that would promote cooperation among Christians, interfaith harmony and safeguard the welfare of all Nigerians. When CAN was eventually registered in 1986, its constitution clearly articulated among other objectives to act as ‘watchperson of the spiritual and moral welfare of the Nation’. Another core objective is to promote understanding, peace and unity among the various people of Nigeria.
From the pioneer president of CAN His Eminence Dominic Cardinal Ekannem through his revered successors like His Eminence Anthony Cardinal Okogie, Dr. Sunday Mbang, Most Rev. Peter Akinola and the immediate past President of CAN and Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan, CAN witnessed its glorious years.
“My appeal to Pastor Oritsejafor is that as a Christian leader, his beacon should be Jesus the Christ. “
“I advise him to sell this controversial jet and use the funds to reconstruct or rehabilitate churches destroyed by Boko Haram in the northeast of Nigeria. This advice is especially apt now that the Pastor no longer needs the plane for pastoral duties,” Akume said.
Source: http://thenationonlineng.net/new/outrage-grows-over-9-3m-seized-in-south-africa/