Mags GarganSouth African police are investigating two Nigerians and an Israeli citizen
The president of the Nigerian bishops' conference has called for an investigation into an alleged multimillion-dollar arms deal and said anyone found guilty of money laundering should be dealt with through the justice system.
Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama of Jos, bishops' conference president, denied reports that he had accused the Rev. Ayodele Joseph Oritsejafor, president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, of wrongdoing after a jet owned by the minister was found by South African police to be carrying $9.3 million in cash.
South African police are investigating two Nigerians and an Israeli citizen who landed September 5 at an airport near Johannesburg with bundles of unused $100 bills packed in three suitcases in a small business jet from the Nigerian capital, Abuja.
According to South African newspapers, the men had documentation showing that the funds were to buy weapons for the Nigerian intelligence service.
"All that Archbishop Kaigama said about the $9.3 million saga was that the matter should be investigated in depth to avoid insinuations," Father Chris Anyanwu, communications officer for the bishops' conference, said in a statement.