Following revelations that the Bombardier Challenger 601 aircraft, in which two Nigerian and one Israeli were caught with $9.3 million in South Africa on Sunday belongs to Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), new truths about the aircraft has continued to follow.
First it has been revealed that the private jet belongs, not directly to Oritsejafor but to Eagle Air Company, an aviation firm in which he holds a major share. Meanwhile, the aviation company has also said it would not answer for the itinerary of the aircraft because the jet had been leased out to another company during the time under reference.
“Our attention has been drawn to press reports in respect of an aircraft (Bombardier Challenger 601 Registration No: N808HG) in which our company holds a residual interest,” Project Eagle Air Management representative Mr. Emmanuel Ohaeri, said in a press release.
“We wish to confirm that the said aircraft has since 2nd of August 2014 been leased to and is operated by Green coast produce Limited. Any and all enquiries in respect of the day-to-day operations of this aircraft are properly directed to Green Coast Produce Limited.”
Green Coast Produce Limited also issued a statement to the effect, claiming responsibility for the aircraft and corroborating Ohaeri’s statement.
“A Bombardier Challenger 600 aircraft Registration No N808HG was leased to us, Green Coast Produce Company Limited, on the 2nd August 2014. We have since that time been running and managing charter services with the aircraft in accordance and compliance with global best practices,” Dr Shima Adun, a representative of Green Coast said.
“On the 5th September 2014 the aircraft was hired from us by a John Ishyaku. The charter to John Ishyaku was upon the following documented terms: Depart Abuja-Johanessburg on the 5th of September 2014; return to Abuja on the 6th of September 2014; and to wait and return with the passengers.”
He explained that it is a common practise with every aircraft charter company, noting that the company’s knowledge of the cargo carried on the aircraft was in accordance with the information provided by Ishyaku.
“All cargos were accompanied by passenger who could readily defend the contents. We are not and cannot be privy to any alleged extraneous cargo transported on the aircraft other than that declared in the agreed terms of hire,” he said.
“We are not liable and cannot be construed as a party to any alleged infractions, either in Nigeria or South Africa as the case may be, after the hire of the aircraft.
“We issue this statement without prejudice to any statutory or commissioned investigation being conducted or to be conducted in South Africa or Nigeria.”
Reacting to the involvement of Oritsejafor’s name in the whole saga, CAN, through its Director of National Issues Mr. Sunny Oibe, lashed out at “elements working for a particular political party within our society” to tarnish Oritsejafor’s image.
Obie alleged that the “elements” are all working for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“These shameless characters including a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and National Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, went to UK to embark on image laundering for their political party,” Obie said.
“The same characters went head to sponsor a negative report in Saharareporters. I had expected that by now no sane mind will take any report by Saharareporters serious because it is an online news medium which thrives on falsehood and survives on false propaganda and blackmail.”
Obie claimed that El-Rufai and his group met and decided to launch the blackmail against Oritsejafor because he is an ardent supporter of President Goodluck Jonathan.
“We want Nigerians to ponder over this: if Nigeria wants to buy arms, the government knows where to get their weapons. How did Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor come into this?” he said.
He maintained that the report is a well organised orchestrated plan, all because of APC’s desperation for the 2015 general elections.
He berated El-Rufai, saying people like him should not be taken seriously and should not be walking on the streets.
“This was the same El-Rufai abusing Gen. Muhammad’s Buhari (retd) and ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, calling them all sorts of names,” Obie said.
“El-Rufai is more of a street boy whose history and antecedents are very much known. He has been the person defending Boko Haram and this is an opportunity for him to hide his misdeeds. We are waiting and we can assure you that at the appropriate time, he and his allies will pay dearly for it. The international community sees APC as an Islamic party; instead of El-Rufai to deny that, he was busy orchestrating spurious propaganda against Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.”
He reminded the public that it was Oritsejafor who went to the United States’ Congress to suggest that Boko Haram Islamic sect should be domesticated as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO), asking how the same person would now sponsor that terrorist organisation as El-Rufai is accusing.
