The
Senate in Nigeria has started the investigation of the $9.3 million
seized by South African authorities from two Nigerians and one Israeli
that came in with a private jet.
The Senate committee on
Defence and Army, which is investigating the incident, held a close door
meeting with security chiefs at the National Assembly on Tuesday.
The
Chairman of the committee, Senator Thompson Sekibo, confirmed that the
$9.3 million seized by the South African authorities belonged to the
Federal Government.
The government had claimed ownership of the
funds, explaining that they were meant for purchase of arms for
Nigeria’s intelligence agencies to tackle security challenges in some
parts of the north.
Earlier, at the House of Representatives,
opposition lawmakers pushed a motion, seeking a debate on the funds, but
it was turned down my majority of the house in a vote. After the
speaker of the House set the motion aside, the opposition lawmakers
walked out of the plenary in protest.
The Nigerians and the
Israeli were arrested by South African police and are being investigated
for trying to bring in $9.3 million in cash into the country illegally.
A spokesman to the force said that funds were apparently meant for an arms deal.
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) seized the funds at Lanseria Airport, north-west of Johannesburg, on September 5.
According
to a Reuters report, SARS spokeswoman, Marika Muller, said that the
funds were held at the central bank as police investigate.
“The passengers’ luggage was searched after Customs officials detected irregularities,” Muller said.
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