By Bode Olagoke
Abuja
A Special Team raised to investigate the alleged involvement of the President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and Niger Delta activist, Alhaji Mujahideen Asari-Dokubo, in the botched $9.3 million arms deal in South Africa has cleared them of any complicity in the matter.
Blueprint recalls that a private aircraft belonging to Oritsejafor last month conveyed some persons and the cash to South Africa purportedly to procure arms from the black market to help bolster Nigeria’s fight against insurgency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
The three persons aboard the aircraft were subsequently detained in South Africa, while the money was seized by that country’s financial authorities.
Niger Delta activist, Dokubo, was a few weeks later said to be one of those who flew in the aircraft.
It was gathered that the secret panel cleared Oritsejafor and further dismissed allegations that Dokubo was also on the flight.
A credible source, who asked not to be named in print, said: “A Special Team, comprising security agents, intelligence experts and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has investigated the $9.3m cash-for-arms deal and submitted its report to the Presidency.
“The committee confirmed that the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, had no connection with the transaction.
“It was true that the CAN President’s jet was used but we found out that it was without his knowledge. As at the time in question, the aircraft was on lease. And you may be aware that the lease trend is peculiar to private jet owners in the country.
“It is the view of the committee that Oritsejafor cannot be held liable for any shuttle made by a lease firm.
“As for the manifest of the plane, the committee also discovered that the Niger Delta activist, Mujaheedin Asari-Dokubo was not among those on board the transaction aircraft. There was no mention of Dokubo in the manifest presented during the investigation.”
Continuing, the source said: “The panel’s findings revealed that the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) has the statutorily and legitimately mandate to issue end-user certificate for such arms transactions. The imputations surrounding the role of the ONSA were unfounded, baseless and ill-motivated.
“The decision of South Africa to return $15 million to Nigeria lent credence to the legality of the transaction. Certainly, Nigeria had no case to answer.”
