Senate Probes $9.3m Cash-For Arms Saga …As APC Reps, Stage Walk Out

The Senate yesterday began investigation into circumstances surrounding the seizure of Nigeria’s 9.3 million dollars in South Africa.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, Sen. George Sekibo, said this in Abuja after a closed-door meeting with the service chiefs.
The chiefs were led to the high profile meeting, which lasted for over three hours, by the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh.
Sekibo, who said the committee would get details of the situation, promised to brief the media at the end of its investigation.
“We are still investigating. We have started the investigation; when we get through the investigation, we will brief you.
“There were several questions here and there and we are digging to find out details and facts about what happened. The committee is satisfied that we are on top of the matter,” he said.
South African Revenue Service on Sept. 5, seized the amount from two Nigerians and an Israeli at Lanseria Airport, North-West of Johannesburg.
The money, which is being held at the Central Bank in South Africa, is being investigated by the South African Police.
On the 12 soldiers sentenced to death by a military panel for mutiny, Sekibo said that the Senate was not under pressure to intervene to save the lives of the soldiers.
“No, we are not (under pressure) because the Armed Forces is established by an Act of the National Assembly.
“The Act spelt out categorically the conduct of soldiers and the way they are to behave wherever they are.
“If you join the military that Act is to guide you and your conduct.
“If you go contrary to any of the prescribed sections of the Act the punishment prescribed for the Act you violated will come on you.
“So the military did not just wake up one day and say that they are going to kill Mr A or Mr B.
“They (military) went through the necessary processes and they found them guilty,” he said.
The committee chairman, however, said that those found guilty could go on appeal and the rulings from the appeal would be binding on them.
“But I think that those found guilty also have a way out. They can go on appeal and if the appeal finds them not guilty that will be it.
“But for what the military has done, they have done the best thing because you must instill discipline in the Armed Forces.
“If you don’t do so one day all of us here will be sacked and you will not hear of this place again,” he said.
Sekibo called on Nigerians to encourage the military to ensure that it discharged its duties effectively.
NAN recalls that 12 Nigerian soldiers were on September 16, sentenced to death for mutiny after firing shots at their commanding officer in Maiduguri on May 14.
A nine-member military tribunal, sitting in Abuja, convicted the soldiers following shots fired at the Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Army’s 7th Division, Maj.-Gen. Abubakar Mohammed.
Court president Brig.-Gen. Chukwuemeka Okonkwo said the sentences were subject to confirmation by Nigeria’s military authorities but added there was no doubt about the gravity of the offence.
Meanwhile, controversies over the $9.3 million seized from two Nigerians and an Isreali on arrival in South Africa in a private jet boiled over on floor the House of Representatives yesterday as lawmakers from the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) walked out on their colleagues in the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) over what they described as attempts to sweep the issue of the smuggled cash under the carpet by the latter.
The Deputy Minority Leader, Ismaila Kawu had in a motion raised on the floor asked the lawmakers to debate controversies surrounding the smuggled cash taken to South Africa in a private jet owned by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
While describing the issue of the smuggled cash as “very scandalous, very disgraceful and very appalling”, Kawu who moved the motion under matters of urgent National Importance asked the House to investigate the matter through its committees of Defence and Aviation.
But further attempt to debate the issue was nipped in the bud by the Deputy Speaker, Honourable Emeka Ihedioha, who presided over the session.
Ihedioha said it is better to refer the matter to a committee, an assertion that resulted in a brief rowdiness in the House as mostly PDP lawmakers supported him.
The Deputy Speaker eventually called for a vote on the issue and majority of the members voted not to allow a debate.
However, members of APC walked out of the green chamber immediately after the voting.
In a media briefing after the walk out, the Minority Whip, Honourable Samson Osagie, said APC lawmakers described the manner the $9.3million was smuggled out as a shame to the country.
“For us as a people and for us as lawmakers, we find this unacceptable, unethical, illegitimate and in our view, it is an illegal transaction,” said Osagie who added that the Federal Government should explain to Nigerians the source of the money and the real purpose it was meant for.
“If the indeed, the matter involves security issues like the purchase of arms by foreign government like Nigeria, why was the South African government not brought into the picture beforehand, and how could South African government be sure that the arms were purchased legitimately by the Nigerian government and not by the insurgents when there were no officials of the NSA’s office or the Director of state security department that accompany such money?,” Osagie who was flanked by other lawmakers queried.
There were allegations earlier in the day that the Federal Government had bribed members of House of Representatives with $20, 000 each and their Senate counterparts with $50, 000 each to stop them from probing the cash scandal now being tagged Oritshejaforgate.
The Senate had also last week initiated a probe into the smuggled cash scandal.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence and Army, Senator George Sekibo told journalists last week that his committee has invited the National Security Adviser and other top military chiefs over the $9.3million cash seized by the South African government.
According to him, the military chiefs invited include Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.); Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh, and Chief of Army Staff, Kenneth Minimah.
The military commanders were expected to appear before the Senate committee, yesterday.

Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (4th left), inspecting the extent of work at the DADTCO Rivers Cassava Processing Factory at Ban-Ogoi Afam link road.