Cash Seizure: ‘South Africa Ungrateful To Nigeria’

                     

Appalled by the continuous seizure of cash amounting to about $20 million meant for the acquisition of arms by Nigeria, a former Nigerian Senate President, Chief Ameh Ebute, has lambasted South Africa for not supporting Nigeria’s war against insurgency in the country.

Ebute, who was reacting to the alleged seizure of Nigerian money by the South African Government, noted with concern the refusal of Johannesburg to understand Nigeria’s predicament and sell arms to it to confront the current wave of insurgency in its domain.

Ebute, who recalled that Nigeria used to assist South Africa with cash to fight apartheid, noted that it was unbecoming of the latter to turn its back on Nigeria when it was in dire need of brotherly support to overcome an insurrection.

The former Senate President in the Third Republic lamented that it was unfortunate that Nigeria was being humiliated by the South African Government headed by a member of the Anti-Apartheid Movement, Jacob Zuma, who understands the leading role that Nigeria played to end the evil regime.

Ebute noted that South Africa should be more concerned about whether Nigeria has paid for arms supplied it by South African companies and not how the money is paid to the suppliers given the emergency situation under which Nigeria is sourcing for arms.

Although he did not say how Nigeria was making monetary support to South Africa, Ebute pointed that he was the then Chairman Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriation and had actually been part of those who supported generous support by Nigeria to South Africa to crush apartheid.

“What we are seeing shows clearly that South Africa does not reciprocate our brotherly gesture. It is wrong for the country to continue to humiliate and embarrass us every day by exposing our attempt to secure arms through it to fight insurgents in the country.

“It is most unfortunate that a country we sacrificed so much for to overcome apartheid is now working stridently to disgrace us at every point instead of showing solidarity and support to Nigeria at this crucial moment in its history,” Ebute noted.
It will be recalled that South Africa has within one month seized two tranches of money purportedly for arms purchase in that country.

Nigeria is claiming that it authorised the use of the money for the acquisition of vital war machines to confront insurgency in the country.