TheCable

President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has briefed the expanded national executive council (NEC) of the body on the $9.3m found on his jet in South Africa.

In an emailed statement sent after the meeting on Monday, Oritsejafor told the Christian leaders: “Permit me… to state clearly before God and before all of you here present today that I am not a party to the movement of $9.3 million from Nigeria to South Africa to purchase arms and ammunition.”

He thanked the Catholic Church for supporting him in the saga, warning that the “enemy” was out to divide Nigerian Christians.

“As Christians, we need unity in the church now more than ever. We are witnessing inhuman attacks by religious extremists against Christians in the northern part of the country while Christian infrastructure is being destroyed in hundreds,” he said.

“If we permit the enemy to divide us, our chances of corporate survival shall be severely threatened.”

According to Oritsejafor, who is also the senior pastor of Word of Life Bible Church, Warri, Delta State, he had refrained from making a public statement so far until he briefed Christian leaders on the facts of the matter, which has generated controversy.

He said: “I believe that the primary institution that I owe any explanation to is the church. I thank everyone who has stood by me these past days even though I have not undertaken any public defence of myself.

“I am particularly appreciative of the valuable support of the Catholic Church in refuting a distorted news item by mischievous elements in the media. I wish to also assure you that I will not do anything to tarnish the image of God.

“I wish to confirm to the leaders of the church that the Bombardier Challenger 601 aircraft in question is mine and it was presented to me as a gift by members of our congregation and ministry partners worldwide at the 40th anniversary of my call into the ministry.

“The aircraft was not given to me by the president of Nigeria, neither was it a settlement for any political favour or patronage.

“Permit me therefore to state clearly before God and before all of you here present today that I am not a party to the movement of $9.3 million from Nigeria to South Africa to purchase arms and ammunition. I am not part of the deal. I know nothing about it.

“In order to ameliorate the cost of maintenance of the aircraft, I sought and got permit to allow the aircraft fly in and out of Nigeria and it was based on this that I leased the aircraft on August 2, 2014 to a company to run it.

“It was the leasee that entered into an agreement with the people who carried out the transfer of funds. Having leased the aircraft to the Green Coast Produce Company Limited, any transaction undertaken with the aircraft can no longer be attached to me. It is clear that those who manipulated this conspiracy desire to create schism in the church.”