South Africa President Jacob Zuma has promised to return Nigeria money confiscated over the years to the West African country.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, during a 2-day visit to Nigeria, Zuma said the South African government has begun investigation to ensure that anything that was illegally taken to South Africa would be returned.
In September 2014, a private jet owned by president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Ayo Oritsejafor containing $9.3m cash was seized by the South African government.
The money which was allegedly smuggled into South Africa by two Nigerians and an Israeli using his private jet, was meant for the purchase of arms for the Nigerian Intelligence Services.
While the furore created by the cash seizure was yet to settle, South African authorities again seized another sum of $5.7 million transferred by Societe D’Equipments Internationale of Nigeria, to South African arms company, Cerberus Risk Solutions, for the procurement of arms.
South African investigators said as at the time the deal was signed, Cerberus Risk Solutions’ license to deal in arms had expired.
However, the money was reportedly released in 2015.
President Zuma told reporters on Tuesday that the Nigerian and South African governments were working on the matter and that the relevant structures were already recovering some of the loots.
They also reviewed the over 30 bilateral agreements the two countries had signed over the years.
