Catholic Bishops Deny Attacking Oritsejafor Over Seized $9.3m Cash

ARCHBISHOP IGNATIUS KAIGAMA OF JOS,
PRESIDENT OF THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS’
CONFERENCE OF NIGERIA
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria,
CBCN, weekend, denied a statement credited
to its president, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama,
accusing the president, Christian Association
of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, of
dragging Christianity into the mud, following
the controversy surrounding $9.3m allegedly
found in the private jet owned by the CAN
President.
In a statement by its Director, (Social
Communications), Rev. Fr. Chris Anyanwu,
the CBCN said, “There is a poison of
deliberate misinformation in the air, more
deadly than the Ebola Virus Disease.
“This may be a symptom of how forthcoming
political events may be handled in the media.
Some persons want to, at all cost, see the
North and the South, Christians and Muslims
fight. In God’s name it shall not come to
be”.
CBCN described such reports by some
newspapers as “not only false and malicious,
but a calculated attempt to further sow the
seed of disharmony between Catholics and
the leadership of CAN”.
The statement also said in part, “While we
disassociate ourselves from the newspaper
reports, it is important to put the records in
the right perspective. Most Rev. Ignatius
Kaigama granted an interview with the Hausa
BBC Service in Kaduna in which he
condemned money laundering.
“All that Archbishop Kaigama said about the
$9.3m saga was that the matter should be
investigated in-depth to avoid insinuations,
psychological projections and unhealthy
rumours and gossips. A transcription of his
interview will reveal that the words attributed
to him were a figment of somebody’s
imagination.
“He said nothing about Pastor Ayo
hobnobbing with Mr. President or dragging
CAN to the mud; neither did he mention the
pastor’s name or Mr. President’s.
“He (Kaigama) said that the relevant
authorities in Nigeria ought to investigate the
issue of the $9.3m arms deals saga
dispassionately and ensure that those found
guilty of money laundering be punished
according to the provision of the existing law
of our land against money laundering”.