By Luka Binniyat, Emman Ovuakporie, Levinus Nwabughiogu & Laide Akinboade
KADUNA —President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, yesterday for the
first time spoke on the controversial $9.3m cash allegedly smuggled into South Africa by two Nigerians and
an Israeli using his private jet. The money which has been confiscated by a South African court was meant
for the purchase of arms for the Nigerian Intelligence Services. This is just as the #BringBackOurGirls#
campaign group, has said it will soon drag the CAN president and the Federal Government to court over the
money.
Following the use of his aircraft to convey the money which was not declared in South Africa until
immigration officials discovered it, the CAN president was linked to the arms deal with critics condemning
his role in the arms deal.
Explaining his own side of the
story yesterday, at an
emergency meeting of the
expanded National Executive
Council, NEC, of CAN in Abuja,
Pastor Oritsejafor denied any
involvement or knowledge of the
deal to buy arms in South
Africa, noting that enemies of
Christians were fuelling the
division of CAN.
He said: “The media has been
awash in the past few days
about an unfortunate incident
involving the movement of funds
from Nigeria to South Africa. In
the unfortunate news reports, attempts have been made to link me directly with the transaction. So far I
have refrained from making any direct public statement pending the time that I would have briefed the
leaders of the church and explained my position on the issues to them.
“I believe that the primary institution that I owe any explanation to is the church. Permit me to thank
everyone who stood by me these past days by ways of prayers, as well as strongly defending me even
though I have not undertaken any public defence of myself.
“I am particularly appreciative of the valuable support of the Catholic Church in refuting a distorted news
item by mischievous elements in the media. I wish to assure you that I will not do anything to tarnish the
image of Jesus Christ or compromise the divine standard of the Church.
The aircraft is mine — CAN president
“At the risk of being seen to be defending myself, I wish to confirm to the distinguished leaders of the
church that the Bombardier Challenger 601 aircraft in question is mine.
“The aircraft was presented to me as a gift by members of our congregation and ministry partners world
wide at the 40th anniversary of my call into the ministry. May I be permitted to stress that the aircraft was
not given to me by the President of Nigeria, neither was it a settlement for any political favour or
patronage.
“With the benefit of hindsight, the President of the country was a guest in our church during the anniversary
celebration when the Jet was presented to me and this has been construed to imply that it was a gift from
the President of the country.
“The President of Nigeria has nothing to do with the gift of the aircraft. By the way, I still wonder why all
those saying this, still cannot come out to show proof so that the matter can be put to rest once and for all.
Let me say that this might be an issue of the court in the near future.
“In order to ameliorate the cost of maintenance of the aircraft, I sought and got permit to allow the aircraft
fly in and out of Nigeria.
“Based on this, I leased the aircraft on August 2, 2014 to a company to run it. It was the leasee that entered
into an agreement with the people who carried out the transfer of funds. Having leased the aircraft to the
Green Coast Produce Company Limited, any transaction undertaken with the aircraft can no longer be
attached to me.
War against the Church
“In as much as I am shocked and distressed by the incident, I wish to appeal to Christians in Nigeria to
remember that a war has been waged against the Nigerian Church. This war is being fought on many fronts
and this unfortunate incident is another dimension in the assault against the Church.
“It is clear that those who manipulated this conspiracy desire to create a schism in the Church. The media
hype and the deliberate distortion of information that followed it confirmed that forces that desperately
desire to cause division and disunity in the Church are at work. Even the devil knows that a house that is
divided cannot stand.
“As Christians, we need unity in the Church now more than ever. We are witnessing inhuman attacks by
religious extremists against Christians in the northern part of the country while Christian infrastructure is
being destroyed in hundreds.
“If we permit the enemy to divide us, our chances of corporate survival shall be severely threatened.
“Distinguished leaders of the Church, please permit me to state clearly before God and before all of you
here present today, I am not a party to the movement of $9.3 million from Nigeria to South Africa to
purchase arms and ammunition. I am not part of the deal. I know nothing about it.
“Let me make a passionate appeal to our heads of blocks, heads of denominations and Christian leaders at
different levels and spheres of influence to please use your good offices to caution and control your
subordinates and followers from making public statements that will further polarise the Church and
strengthen the arms of the enemies of the church.
“If I offend you or you offend me, instead of talking to media, let us talk to each other within the house of
God.”
#BringBackOurGirls# threatens to sue
Meanwhile, the #BringBackOurGirls# campaign group, at its sit-out, yesterday, in Abuja called for more
public outcry over the $9.3 million cash found in Pastor Oritsejafor’s private jet in South Africa, saying it
has concluded arrangement to sue the CAN president and the Federal Government over it.
According to the group: “We need more pressure more than ever; this is tax payers money, we must speak
up any time an injustice is done especially when it is about infiltration of arms because that is what
brought us here. There is need for a louder cry about this because quietly people are forgetting about the
$9.3 million, it will continue if we don’t do anything.
“By next week you will have something different, we are working with our lawyers to sue Pastor Ayo
Oritsejafor and the Federal Government.”

more details: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/9-3m-arms-deal-oritsejafor-opens/

Mtchew!
He never open up na?
Last Bullet
Which kind yeye news be this?