South Africa has indicated her willingness to return the
more than $15 million seized from some Nigerians last
year in a move aimed to please our new president-elect,
General Muhammadu Buhari.
This is has confirmed that those who claimed the money
had been returned actually lied to Nigerians.
Following the emergence of General Buhari as
President, “South Africa is now considering returning the
money to Nigerian that it confiscated last year or clearing
the way to sell arms to the country,”
The Mail & Guardian reported.
The newspaper also has learned through diplomatic
sources that South Africa has begun talks to work out a
process to return the money in an effort to start off on a
clean slate with the recently elected government of the
Nigerian president-elect.
It would be recalled that the South African government had,
on September 5, 2014, seized $9.3m cash belonging to
Nigeria and a month later seized another $5.7m, claiming
that both funds were to be used for illegal purchase of
arms.
It was smuggled into the country through Lanseria Airport
in Johannesburg in three suitcases by a delegation said to
represent the Presidency. In both cases, the money was
suspected to be for illegal use.
Now, South Africa wants to use the money to extend an
olive branch to Buhari’s government and mend the relations
between the two countries, which strained during the tenure
of Goodluck Jonathan.
“The positive thing about (Buhari) is that one of the people
who supported him is Atiku Abubakar. That makes him our
man and he will work well with [President ] Zuma,” a
government source said.
Atiku is close to Zuma. He was Nigeria’s deputy president
during the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo, at the time
when Zuma was Thabo Mbeki’s deputy.
“Also, this man (Buhari) is a (retired) military general. It is
true that the military needs some beefing up to fight Boko
Haram and we should help,” the source added.
Buhari is due to take over the leadership of Nigeria from
Nigeria come May 29, 2015. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL AND TOUCHING NIGERIAN CELEBRITIES BIOGRAPHY AND SCANDALS
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