FG Threatens South Africa Over Seized $5.7 Million
The Federal Government has threatened the South African government over the second confiscation of the sum of $5.7 million meant for arms purchase to fight the terrorists' group, Boko Haram.
PremiumTimes reports that the warning was issued on Monday by the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, through a spokesperson, Karounwi Adekunle.
The Nigerian government denied that the deal was unlawful and threatened South Africa of its investment here in Nigeria. The money was wired by the Nigerian government through a bank to an arms dealer in South Africa.
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According to a local paper, City Press, South Africa’s Asset Forfeiture Unit of the National Prosecuting Authority claimed the money, about N952 million, was the proceed of illegal transactions. This second seizure is coming barely three weeks after the South African authorities had confiscated $9.3 million, conveyed in cash with a private jet by two Nigerians and an Israeli for arms purchase, on the ground that it violated the country’s laws on cash movement.
Dasuki, who denied the second transaction was illegal, reminded South Africa of how Nigeria has provided a beneficial environment for South African companies like MTN, DSTV and several others to do business unhindered.
The National Security Adviser, who expressed optimism that South Africa would reciprocate Nigeria’s noble gesture, promised to eradicate Boko Haram regardless of the antics of fifth columnists.
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Dasuki, who was reported to have been the person who signed off the first controversial deal, further insisted on Monday that the second transaction took place as reported but strongly refuted it was conducted illegally.
“We want to state clearly that a business transaction actually took place between a legitimate company in Nigeria and another legitimate one in South Africa through the bank. In the course of events, the South African company could not perform and decided to refund the money. What is illegitimate in this transaction done through the bank?” Dasuki said.
However, it was reported by South African paper, City Press, that it was the NSA, Dasuki, who personally authorised the first arms contract by issuing an end-user certificate, alongside a “shopping list” for helicopters, unmanned aircraft, rockets and ammunition.
Top Nigerian security officials have reacted to report by saying they provided proof that the first transaction was not illegitimate, since the end-user certificate and a shopping list were provided. One of the officials said: “In issuing end-user certificate, the ONSA (Office of the National Security Adviser) ensures that it carries all relevant agencies and stakeholders along. Therefore, such a responsibility is not a unilateral development.”
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An agency used by the Nigerian military to disseminate official statements, PRNigeria on Monday explained that: “For security reasons, the chains leading to the issuance of end-user certificate cannot be put in the public domain. The recent interest in arms purchase was informed by the challenges of insurgency which our nation had been grappling with in the last few years. This is why the understanding of all Nigerians is necessary. Nigeria is desperate to counter activities of terrorists no matter what it takes even when some of our friends are not being fair to us.”
It was gathered that the latest transaction was between Cerberus Risk Solutions, an arms broker in Cape Town, and Societe D’Equipments Internationaux, said to be a Nigerian company based in Abuja. The deal was reportedly cancelled after Cerberus, which had earlier received from Nigeria R60 million (N1.02 billion) through its account at Standard Bank, tried to repay the money as it could not resolve its registration formalities with the South African authorities.
“Cerberus was previously registered as a broker with the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC), but the registration expired in May this year. The marketing and contracting permits also expired at the same time. The company has since applied for re-registration, but the application lay in the NCACC’s mailbox for more than two months,” City Press said.
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However, sources revealed to Rapport that Cerberus actually tried to refund the money to the Nigerian company, when the bank became suspicious, adding that while the NPA’s Asset Forfeiture Unit subsequently obtained a court order in the South Gauteng High Court to seize the money, NPA spokesperson Nathi Mncube, argued that there were no indications that the two transactions were related.
“However, both are now the subject of a criminal investigation and all possible information and connections are being investigated,” Mncube said.
It would be noted that this latest transaction came barely three weeks after two Nigerians and an Israeli were arrested while trying to smuggle US$9.3 million through Lanseria International Airport, Johannesburg, on September 5 in a private jet from Abuja.
Source: Legit.ng
