Arms Smuggling Jet Caught With $10million In South Africa Linked To CAN President, Ayo Oritsejafor
An
investigation by SaharaReporters has revealed that a Nigerian private
jet caught in Johannesburg with $10 million belongs to Pastor Ayo
Oritsejafor, the head of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). Mr.
Oritsejafor is also a close confidant of President Goodluck Jonathan.
The CAN leader’s private plane
with US registration number N808HG was one of two jets cited by South
African officials on September 5 Mr. Oritsejafor's jet arrived South
Africa with $9.3 million cash loaded in several suitcases. News of the
seizure of the cash broke over the weekend, triggering questions about
the ownership of the jets and weapons they intended to purchase.
Nigerian aviation authorities
disclosed that one of the jets belonged to Pastor Oritsejafor while the
second one was registered to Felix Idiga, the owner of Jafac Aviation
Limited.
Two Nigerians and an Israeli
defense contractor, Eyal Mesiaka arrived in the jet when they were
accosted in South Africa authorities. A South African source disclosed
that Mr. Oritsejafor's jet was released after top Nigerian officials
intervened, claiming that the weapons to be purchased had the official
blessing of the Nigerian government. The jet arrived with two plastic
suitcases and two hand luggages with combination locks only known to the
Isreali contractor, according to CityPress
Earlier today, SaharaReporters
rang the mobile telephone number of Mr. Idiga. At first, he pretended
and claimed that he was the Aide De camp to Mr. Idiga. But when our
correspondent identified himself as a reporter from SaharaReporters, he
owned he started answering questions relating to the issues but claimed
the jet we published on our site wasn’t his own. Asked if he knew of
another private jet named in apparent arms buy in South Africa, he asked
where we got our information after we read the jet registration number
to him. He then denied that his jet was involved, before hastily hanging
up the phone.
We were unable to reach Pastor Oritsejafor before going to press.
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