Arms Deal: South Africa’s Actions Show Lack Of Gratitude

A former President of the Nigerian Senate, Chief Ameh Ebute has described South Africa as ungrateful following the seizure of about $20 million meant for procurement of arms to boost the country’s fight against Boko Haram.

“What we are seeing shows clearly that South Africa does not reciprocate our brotherly gesture,” said Ebute, in reaction to the alleged seizure of the money meant for arms purchase, despite the federal government’s communication with the government of South Africa after the first seizure.
Ebute said further: “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.
The former Senate President in the Third Republic expressed disbelief that Nigeria could be treated the way it was being treated by the South African Government, which is headed by a member of the Anti-Apartheid Movement, Jacob Zuma, who must still remember the role played by Nigeria to end apartheid.
He therefore said what South Africa should have been more concerned about was whether Nigeria has paid for arms supplied to 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.
The federal government had last month claimed that it authorised the use of the money for the acquisition of vital war machines to confront insurgency in the country after the South African government arrested two Nigerians and an Israeli for being in possession of $9.3 million ferried into the country illegally. Despite the intervention of the FG, the South African government has remained adamant, seizing another sum sent into the country for the same purpose.