That cash-for-arms scandal

I read in the papers that South African authorities on September 5, 2014 at the Lanseria International Airport, in Northwest Johannesburg, seized a private jet that conveyed the $9.3 million cash in three suitcases from two Nigerians and an Israeli. They claimed the cash was meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition from South […]

I read in the papers that South African authorities on September 5, 2014 at the Lanseria International Airport, in Northwest Johannesburg, seized a private jet that conveyed the $9.3 million cash in three suitcases from two Nigerians and an Israeli. They claimed the cash was meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition from South Africa. The Federal Government later admitted knowledge of the botched transaction and ownership of the money, while the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, also admitted ownership of the private plane used in conveying the money. Is there any new development?
Isa: The issue is still generating controversy but the latest is the international dimension of the protest introduced by a diaspora civil society group, the Nigeria Unite Group. It has petitioned the office of the Secretary General of the United Nations on the suspicious deal, insisting that evidence from the narrative on the matter point to criminality and foul play.
Habiba: I don’t know the group but I am happy that it has taken it beyond the Nigerian government which has adopted a culture of impunity in corruption cases.
Isa The International Secretariat of the group is administered by Dr. Mohammed Hussaini and Francis John. They who co-signed a petition in which the group averred that the arms deal is a total violation of the principles enshrined in the global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).
Chinyere: I have a copy of the petition which was circulated on the internet.  A section in the petition reads: “Although the government has admitted knowledge of the deal, it has denied any complicity in the attempt to commit a crime. “However, in court papers, the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa submitted evidence that Tier One, the company that Nigeria claimed to have an arms import deal with is not registered with the National Conventional Arms Control Committee and is thus not ‎authorised to enter into any agreements regarding the sale and/or rental of military equipment.
Isa: Apart from this a total violation of the principles enshrined in the global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), the petition stated that the ‘’explanations given by the two Nigerians and one Israeli arrested by the South African investigators is flawed and riddled with discrepancies.”
Chinyere: Unite Nigeria also demanded answers to three probing questions ‎on why the money wasn’t channelled through an appropriate manner; why the Nigerian government is trying to cover up the arms contract with an unauthorised agency, and where were the arms to be purchased from and to whom were they meant? The group then urged the UN to act swiftly on its petition for Nigerians to know the truth.
Habiba: So will the UN take action?
Isa: Yes. The petitioners said ‘Drawing a parallel between the recent revelations by an Australian Hostage Negotiator, Dr. Stephen Davis and the botched arms deal, the Nigeria Unite Group urged the UN to take urgent and holistic measures to investigate these issues for peace and security of Nigeria.
Chinyere: We believe the UN will take action; the Group demanded for ‘a full, urgent and independent investigation into the $9.3 million arms deal which is both suspicious and flawed by all international standards of arms sales.’
Isa: They also demanded ‘’a full and independent UN investigation on those named as the sponsors of the Boko Haram‎ insurgency.”
Ayo: Habiba and I have been working with the Stop Impunity Nigeria (S.I.N) Campaign which has called on members of the National Assembly to put aside partisan political considerations and political party differences and act in unison in the national interest to ensure a thorough investigation into the US$9.3 million cash seized by South African authorities early this month.
Habiba: S.I.N. issued a statement in Lagos, in which it condemned the disruption of proceedings at House of Representatives where some legislators have blocked attempts to initiate an investigation into the matter.
Isa: Laws have been broken in Nigeria and in South Africa so it is imperative that action is taken.
Habiba: That is why SIN called on both chambers of the National Assembly “to immediately institute an independent and transparent investigation into the matter and ensure that those found culpable are brought to justice.”
Ayo: The Campaign cited  Section 88(1)(b)(ii) and (2)(b) of the Constitution, and noted that the National Assembly is empowered by the Constitution to direct an investigation into the conduct of affairs of any person, authority, ministry or government department charged, or intended to be charged, with the duty of or responsibility for disbursing or administering moneys appro-priated or to be appropriated by the National Assembly, provided the investigation is for the purpose of .exposing corruption, inefficiency or waste in the execution or administration of laws within its legislative competence and in the disbursement or administration of funds appropriated by the National Assembly.
Habiba: The S.I.N. Campaign wants the National Assembly’s investigations to demand answers to the following questions:
 -What the money was actually meant for, a question which remains unclear, especially given the highly suspicious circumstances surrounding the botched transaction?
 -Who authorized the transaction and approved the release of the funds?
 -Why was the Federal Government transacting a business of whatever nature in cash to the tune of $9.3 million in an economy that has supposedly gone cashless?
-Why was the transaction facilitated using a private citizen’s aircraft when the Presidency has nearly a dozen planes in the presidential fleet in addition to other aircraft available from the Nigerian Air Force and various other agencies of the Federal Government?
-Why was the transaction being handled by private foreign national and private Nigerian citizens on behalf of the Federal Government?
-What security and accountability measures were put in place in handing over such a mind-boggling amount in cash to three individuals?
-Why did the Federal Government opt to violate the laws of another country by attempting to smuggle such amount of cash into that country in an age when payments can be legitimately and more securely made to any entity in virtually any country of the world through wire transfer in a matter of minutes.
-Was the amount properly declared to the Nigerian Customs Service before it was taken out of the country in the light of the legal requirement that every amount exceeding $5,000 or its equivalent should be declared along with its source and purpose?
-Did the transaction comply with money laundering laws and regulations?
Lucy:  I just got a call now another $5.7million meant for arms transaction has been seized in South Africa! Unbelievable!