Nigerian authorities behind the $5.7million arms that was recently botched by South African authorities have said there was nothing wrong in the deal.
Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki who sanctioned the deal defended it in a statement issued through a spokesman Karounwi Adekunle, explaining that the business transaction took place between a legitimate company in Nigeria and another legitimate one in South Africa through the bank.
He corroborated the South African News Medium Rapport’s Story that in the course of events, the South African company could not perform the deal and decided to refund the money.
He wondered what was wrong with the transaction because there was nothing illegitimate about it, since it was channelled through the bank.
Adekunle reminded South Africa of how Nigeria has provided a beneficial environment for South African companies like MTN, DSTV and a host of others to do business unhindered.
“It is our hope that South Africa would reciprocate this noble gesture,” Adekunle said.
Rapport had reported on Monday that the $5.7million was seized by The Asset Forfeiture Unit of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) though it bore the cachet of senior security officials from Nigeria.
The report quoted sources close to the investigation, saying the latest transaction was between Cerberus Risk Solutions, an arms broker in Cape Town, and Societe D’Equipments Internationaux, a Nigerian company in Abuja, Rapport reported.
It also quoted an impeccable source, saying the Nigerian firm paid the money into Cerberus’ account at Standard Bank.
But because Cerberus does not currently have a valid National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) license, it attempted to return the money to the Nigerian arms broker.
It was at this time that the bank raised alarm and the South African authorities waded into the deal for the seizure.
Cerberus’ license, marketing and contracting permits also expired in May. The company has since applied for re-registration, but the application lay in the NCACC’s mailbox for more than two months.
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 has clarified that the fresh deal was not related to the first one involving CAN’s president.
South Africa has insisted that the money was the proceed of illegal transactions and is now being investigated by the Special Investigating Unit of the department probing offences against the state.
