Okupe: South Africa jumped issues on arms deal

Senior special assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe, has faulted the South African government for exposing two botched arms deals that led to the seizure of $15 million from Nigeria, maintaining that the deal should have been kept as a secret between both countries.

Speaking on African Independent Television on Thursday, Okupe said such deals have become a norm across the world and that the high level of insecurity in the country forced Nigeria to reach the decision to procure arms through such means.

He wondered why South Africa, which must have gone through a similar process in the past, resolved to embarrass the country. He also maintained that there was nothing illegal about the transaction.

“If we are not able to get arms through the regular means and we have a job to do for Nigeria, then we got to use ways and it means that will ensure that we don’t fail on this point,” he said.

“A company was selected to do a job for the federal government of Nigeria and because of extant laws within South Africa, they were not able to deliver their job and they wanted to refund, then the South Africa government just jumped issues and said they smelled a rat.

“When this thing broke out, government came out open to say the money belongs to Nigeria and mentioned what the money was meant for.

“There is nothing shady about this deal. Governments move money all over the world.  The office of the national security adviser has been so circumspect on this and have given adequate information as at when required.

“The truth is that governments all over the world do things that are below the line, especially when it has to do with security.

“I’m surprised that Nigerians want to discuss security issues openly, especially when we are prosecuting an ongoing war. These things are not meant to be.”

Okupe argued that security issues ought not to be discussed in the public domain and that disagreement between both countries on certain matters could have prompted the South African government to blow the lid open. However, he said President Goodluck Jonathan was in touch with his South African counterpart in order to resolve the issue.

“So, really, these are very serious national security affairs,” he said.

“In America and some other parts of the world, people are made to sign an agreement that they won’t say anything that they know about government for about 25 years after they left office. If there were no secrets to be kept, there wouldn’t have been that provision.

“The truth of the matter is that there are some issues between Nigeria and South Africa, but the president is in touch with South Africa and in one way or the other, the matter will be resolved.”

As at Thursday, South Africa had not disclosed the status of its “investigation” into the issue and the money is yet to be refunded.