TheCable

Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the national president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has come under heavy criticism in recent weeks for his links with the plane used to smuggle $9.3 million to South Africa for the procurement of arms.

Though Oritsejafor distanced himself from the deal, calls for his investigation continue mounting.

On Tuesday, the Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), a coalition of about 150 anti-corruption organisations in Nigeria, joined this call, saying it is interested in knowing the extent of Oritsejafor’s involvement in the deal and alleging that the federal government has been trying to cover up the issue.

CSNAC raised a number of questions and urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to look into the issue.

“Though he admitted the private jet was truly involved in the money laundering offence, he explained that the plane was under a lease to a party. Who leased it out to a second party and who also leased it to a third party and so, the story goes on,” read a statement by the group.

“The whole story is obviously with a federal government conspiracy, going by releases and statements by aides to the president. In light of recent events, it leaves one to wonder if truly the plane was procured by ‘unknown sources’ for a genuine ‘work of God’ or work of devil in money laundering and arms smuggling.  Under this circumstance, the questions begging for answers are:

“Could the jet have been a product of previous money laundering and arms deal? Who are the unknown individuals behind the ‘anonymous donors’ of the jet? Is a private jet registered for private use allowed under law to be leased for commercial purpose? Was the jet truly on lease as at the time it was used to launder money to South Africa? What was the involvement of the lease agent in the laundering and arms smuggling?

“By the powers vested on the commission under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2004 and the anti-money laundering act, CSNAC is hereby requesting for an investigation by the commission with a view to providing answers to above listed questions agitating the minds of Nigerians.”

It said it was working out modalities for international and multilateral intervention in order to prevent EFCC from being influenced to do its work thoroughly.

Earlier on Monday, Oritsejafor urged the national executive council of CAN not to allow the issue create disunity, maintaining his innocence and expressing gratitude to those who had stood by him.