The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to arraign former Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Hadi Sirika, alongside his daughter Fatima, and two others for an alleged fraud amounting to N2.7 billion related to the Nigerian Air project, today May 9, 2024.
The arraignment is scheduled to take place before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja.
According to the charges filed by the EFCC, Sirika is accused of using his position to confer undue advantage on certain entities between April 2022 and March 2023 in Abuja.
Specifically, he is alleged to have awarded a N1.3 billion consultancy contract for the Nigerian Air Start-up to Tianero Nigeria Limited, thereby violating Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Furthermore, the EFCC alleges that Sirika used his position to influence the award of a contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport to Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, a company linked to his daughter and son-in-law.
In another count, the anti-graft agency alleged that on or about August 18, 2022 in Abuja, Sirika did use his position “to confer unfair advantage upon Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, whose alter ego, Fatima Hadi Sirika and Jalal Sule Hamma are your daughter and son-in-law respectively, by using your position to influence the award to them, the contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1.498, 300,750.00.”
This action, according to the commission, amounted to a violation of the same section of the Act and constitutes criminal breach of trust.
The defendants, including Sirika’s daughter Fatima, Jalal Hamma, and Al-Buraq Investment Ltd., are facing multiple charges related to corruption and abuse of office. If found guilty, they could face severe penalties under the law.
