President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ayo Oritsejafor and Alhaji Mujahideen Asari-Dokubo has been cleared of complicity in the botched $9.3 million arms deal by a special team tasked with getting facts on the issue.
According to PRNigeria, citing ‘authoritative sources’, the panel cleared the duo and dismissed allegations that Dokubo was on the aircraft which ferried the cash into South Africa. The aircraft belongs to Oritsejafor, who denied knowing anything about the arms deal as he had leased the aircraft out.
“A special team, comprising security agents, intelligence experts and officials of the ministry of foreign affairs has investigated the $9.3 million cash-for-arms deal and submitted its report to the presidency.
“The committee confirmed that the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, had no connection with the transaction.
“It was true that the CAN president’s jet was used but we found out that it was without his knowledge. As at the time in question, the aircraft was on lease. And you may be aware that the lease trend is peculiar to private jet owners in the country.
“It is the view of the committee that Oritsejafor cannot be held liable for any shuttle made by a lease firm.
“As for the manifest of the plane, the committee also discovered that the Niger Delta activist, Mujaheedin Asari-Dokubo, was not among those on board the transaction aircraft. There was no mention of Dokubo in the manifest presented during the investigation,” PRNigeria reported.
