The apex body of Muslims in the North,
the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, on Monday in Kaduna asked the nation’s
anti-graft body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to probe
the controversial $9.3m impounded by the South African authorities.
The money was said to be meant for the procurement of arms for intelligence agencies in Nigeria.
The
money, valued about R102m, was frozen by the South African authorities.
Ever since, controversies had continued to trail the smuggled money,
with fingers allegedly pointing at the CAN president.
But
the JNI, in a statement by its Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid
Aliyu-Abubakar, queried the circumstances surrounding the $9.3m
allegedly meant for the procurement of arms for the government, asking
relevant bodies to probe the deal.
The
religious body noted that it was imperative for the government or its
agents to clear the air on the smuggled money, rather than allowing
unguarded utterances to take pre-eminence in the ongoing controversies
surrounding the deal.
JNI said, “Our
senators at the upper chamber and representatives members at the lower
chamber must rise to the occasion for special discussion on the matter
as urgent public interest revolves round it, as it relates to threat to
national security.
“EFCC must wholly
play its role in this direction by prosecuting those involved to
adequately face the wrath of the law. It doesn’t matter whose ox is
gored.
“All relevant government
agencies must also discharge their responsibilities without fear or
favour, showing the world that our country is serious.
“For
its internal and external integrity, government must stay off dabbling
into issues which the Nigerian Law had properly addressed. We have been
saying that certain elements are now fond of breaking the law with
impunity, feeling super and above the law.”
The
body noted further that it smell the rat in the way and manner in which
the Federal Government attempted to cover-up the entire failed deal,
adding that there was more to the explanation given by the government on
the matter.
They queried, “The
following posers are instructive: Is government short of official agents
which necessitates assigning non official ones? Why was any of the
planes in the Presidential fleet of jets not used?
“With
the current trend of cashless financial transaction why is such a huge
amount carried in cash? Isn’t arms deals executed via third party?
“Where
is the Ministry of Defense and the office of the National Security
Adviser? Was due process followed through relevant government agencies?
Are bilateral matters dealt with in that way?”
The
JNI while appealing that justice be done by all concerned in order to
serve as a deterrent to those who feel they are above the law, insisted
that the government should release the real fact on the issue
The
body added, “We at the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) are in disbelief
over the recent news at both national and international media of
impounding of a private jet in South Africa, laden with $9.3m in cash,
purportedly to buy arms in that country.
“What
is more shocking is the said government’s full knowledge of it, despite
its illegality and the attempt to intervene in such a scandalous matter
which attracts the full weight of the law to address. There is more to
the explanation given by the government on the matter.
“Therefore
government should tell Nigerians the real fact on the issue. We hope
the matter will not be wheedled with. However, we note with dismay the
unguarded utterances of some leaders that they will call on their
followers to defend themselves. Also we note the uncourteous speeches
attacking other leaders, which leave much to be desired and overheat the
polity.”
