Much ado has been made about recent events in
South Africa concerning the Nigerian-owned jet
that was found loaded with millions of dollars and
that was in the process of procuring arms and a
fighter helicopter for the Nigerian military and
security agencies.
As a former Minister of Aviation I wish to assure
the general public that the flying of large sums of
cash by security and intelligence agencies for the
purchase of arms in a time of war and conflict is
something that is quite normal and that it happens
quite often. As a matter of fact it has happened
under successive Nigerian governments, both
military and civilian.
Obviously in the case of the jet that flew to South
Africa with 9.3 million USD there must have been
a breakdown of communication between the
South African authorities and ours and a few
lapses in procedure here and there which is what
has led to the seizure of the money and all the
ensuing suspicion and confusion.
However the idea that there was anything
untoward or sinister about the whole transaction
has no basis in logic, sense or rationality.
Perhaps the only failing was the fact that the cash
was not declared to South African Customs as is
required by law.
The fact that our intelligence agencies have said
that they were the ones that sent the money and
that they have told us what it was for is good
enough for me. It appears to me that this was a
lawful and legitimate exercise and that there is
nothing for anyone to worry about.
I am aware of the fact that the British, the French,
the American, the Chinese, the Israeli, the Saudi
Arabian and the Russian intelligence and security
agencies, amongst many others, have indulged in
such covert ''cash for arms'' transactions on
numerous occasions in different parts of the
world.
They either sell such arms at short notice and off
the cuff or they procure them for themselves or
for unknown third parties. Even the South Africans
themselves have done so on numerous occasions
in the past.These are legitimate transactions that
are covert and secret in nature but they are
certainly not illegal.
Such is the murky and dark world of intelligence
and security worldwide. There is plenty that we
do not know about their day to day operations
and they have their own unique way of doing
things.
We should not assume the worse or constantly
denigrate them simply because we are not
familiar or comfortable with their modus operandi.
Suffice it to say that anyone that is in the process
of getting arms to help our boys at the war front to
fight Boko Haram and protect our citizens and our
country ought to be regarded as heroes and not
villains.
The attempt by certain elements in the opposition
and the Nigerian media to stigmatise all those
involved in this transaction and make the whole
thing appear like something that is out of the
ordinary or sordid and criminal in nature really
does nauseate me.
Those that know no better ought to appreciate the
fact that this is how the real world operates and
they should learn to live with it. The Nigerian
intelligence services operate in no different a way
to their colleagues in the international community
and they do so with as much patriotism,
professionalism and commitment as their
counterparts from other parts of the world.
And yes, we do have our very own ''James
Bonds'' in our intelligence services even though,
more often than not, they are not recognised,
celebrated or appreciated. I counsel that we
should cut these men and women that work in the
shadows and in secrecy some slack and that we
should not be too quick to label them as sleazy
rogues who are attempting to indulge in all
manner of criminal activities.
Since we are on this topic I would like to take this
opportunity to say one or two things about the
way in which Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the President
of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has
been villified, maligned and treated with the
utmost disdain and contempt in this and other
matters by elements within the leading opposition
party in our country.
The truth is that contrary to what some of the
leading lights in the opposition would have us
believe he is not an arms smuggler, a money
launderer, a murderer or a Boko Haram sponsor.
Going to a foreign land and telling the Parliament
of that country that the President of CAN in Nigeria
is the head of Boko Haram, as one or two of them
have just done, is not only a pernicious and
vicious lie but it is also utterly shameful and
disgraceful. Worst of all it is an affront to the
Christian community in Nigeria and a reckless
provocation.
On the South African matter it is clear that Pastor
Oritsejafor was not the owner of the 9.3 million
USD and neither was he aware that the cash was
being flown on the plane.
Though he has confirmed that he was the owner
of the plane he has also pointed out the fact that
he had leased it out to a company on a long term
basis who were themselves subleasing it out to
other companies for regular trips.
He has also said that he had no idea about who
they were subleasing it to, where they were flying
it to or who or what they were carrying in it in any
of their operations.
The two companies that were involved, both the
one that leased it from Oritsejafor and the one
that subleased it from them for the journey to
South Africa, have since confirmed and
corroborated what he has said.
In my view that ought to settle the matter. Yet
some people, fuelled and egged on by a ravenous
and desperate opposition with a dark and sinister
hidden agenda, have refused to let go of the
matter and allow sleeping dogs to lie.
Those in our land that are trying to divide our
ranks and denigrate us by alleging that Oritsejafor
is involved in gun-running, money-laundering,
Boko Haram or any other filthy and unsavory
criminal activity are the lowest of the low. They
are wicked and cruel and I have no doubt that
such people are in desperate need of prayer.
They need deep intercession and deliverance
from the demons that have taken control of them
and that are using them. The truth is that it is a
grave insult to the Christian community for
anyone to suggest that the leader of the umbrella
organisation of the over 80 million-strong
Christian faithfuls in Nigeria is a sponsor of a
vicious and barbaric Islamist sect that has killed
and abducted more Christians and burnt more
churches than any other terrorist organisation in
the history of the African continent.
The same people may as well tell us that the
leaders of the Christian community in Syria and
Iraq are the ones behind ISIL and ISIS. They can
also tell us that the Christian leaders in their
respective countries are the ones behind Al
Shabab, the Taliban, the Al Nusra Front, Islamic
Jihad, Al Qaeda, Daesh, Hamas, the supporter of APC,
the Islamic Brotherhood and all the other terrorist
organisations that have recently afflicted the
world with their vile inhumanity, their sheer evil
and their venal barbarism.
It is only in Nigeria that the leadership of the
Christian community would be accused, by a
supposedly serious-minded opposition, of wanting
to wipe out the Christian faith, wanting to kill all
the Christians and moderate Muslims in the
country and wanting to establish an Islamic
fundamentalist state where 6th century sharia law
applies, where little girls are subjected to serial
rape and where women are enslaved.
Calling the President of CAN a money-launderer
and arms-smuggler and accusing him of murder
and sponsoring terror will not help to create
religious harmony in our country. As a matter of
fact it will completely destroy it. Those that are
doing so and the supporter of APC political party that is
stirring up the hornet’s nest and encouraging
them ought to think very carefully about the
implications of what they are doing.
We know that they have a religious agenda but
they should not take this too far or push us to the
wall. Our meekness and humility should not be
taken for weakness or stupidity. It is in their own
interest and in the interest of the unity of our
nation for them to leave the President of CAN
alone before matters get out of hand and before
all hell breaks loose.
He deserves to be accorded the same level of
respect from the Muslim community in our
country as the Sultan of Sokoto, the leader of the
Muslims in Nigeria, is accorded by the Christians.
What is good for the goose is surely good for the
gander. A word is enough for the wise.

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Fani Kayode u hv join PDP train so ur words are nonsens