Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will on Thursday arraign the former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, his daughter, and two other suspects at the Federal High Court, Abuja, over alleged fraud of N2.7 billion.
The anti-graft agency had in April accused Sirika of authorising a fraudulent contract for Engirios Nigeria Limited, a company owned by his younger sibling, Abubakar Sirika.
The contract awarded to the tune is said to have been uncovered in EFCC’s investigations into fraudulent activities under Sirika when he was Aviation Minister to the then President, Muhammadu Buhari.
Meanwhile, West Africa Weekly had, in a series of reports, uncovered how Nigeria Air came to be under Sirika.
Sirika, along with his daughter Fatima, one Jalal Hamma, and Al-Duraq Investment Ltd., is expected to be arraigned before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, May 9, 2024.
Amidst these allegations, the current aviation minister, Festus Keyamo, has taken a firm stance. He revealed that the EFCC is investigating the alleged fraudulent contract and the controversial Nigeria Air deals sealed by Sirika.
The EFCC is investigating that deal, and a criminal investigation is ongoing. I have called for the report, says Keyamo.
In other reports, a group called Concerned Northern Forum had also called the ‘Nigeria Air’ launch a half-baked project and alleged that it was driven by lies, deception and corruption amounting to billions of naira.
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