South Africa returns $15 million seized for the procurement of arms

There are claims that the $15 million seized by the South African Govt. in 2014 that was meant for the purchase of arms for the Nigerian military has been returned to the Nigerian government.The sum of $9.3 million was seized by the South African authorities on September 5, 2014 and another $5.7 million was seized later in a transaction involving Societe D’ Equipments Internationale of Nigeria and Cereberus Risk Solutions, a South African arms company.

The first seizure was by South African custom officers who intercepted two Nigerians and an Israeli who arrived the country in a private jet allegedly owned by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) president, Rev Ayo Oritsejafor. They found 3 suitcases stashed with money when they ran them through airport scanners.

The money were reportedly concealed in two black plastic suitcases. Also found on the men, were, an invoice for a helicopter and armaments meant for Nigeria. The Nigerian government then quickly admitted that it was aware of the transaction and informed the media that the process was legal.

The former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) who spoke on behalf of the government then, said the Nigerian government had no choice as some powerful countries had refused to sell arms to Nigeria. 

The South African government through its High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lulu Mnguni, said it would not release the funds until after “due process” was followed.

Yesterday, the consulting firm issuing statements on behalf of Nigerian security agencies, PR Nigeria, said the money has finally been released.

According to the statement, the money was released as a result of some legal and diplomatic processes initiated by the former NSA which “ensured that cash seized by the South African government during the cash for arms saga last year have been fully recovered by Nigeria”.

It added:

"President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration was forced to resort to the alternative market to obtain arms when western powers blocked every access to the formal arms market but the cash were seized both at the airport and in the bank”.

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