Summary
- Nigeria’s former Aviation Minister, together with his daughter and son-in-law, have been granted bail of $70,000.
- They were arraigned by the EFCC in a $1.9 million fraud case, involving the illegal award of contracts.
- Ex-minister Hadi Sirika and his relatives pleaded not-guilty to the six charges brought against them.
Nigeria’s former Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Hadi Sirika, has been granted bail of about $70,000 (₦100 million) in a $1.9 million (₦2.8 billion) fraud case. The ex-minister, who headed the Nigeria Air project until the end of his term in May 2023, faces up to six charges.
Ex-minister appears in the High Court
On Thursday, May 9, the Abuja Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the former minister, his daughter Fatima Hadi Sirika, and his son-in-law Jalal Sule Hamma before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja. Their company, Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, was also named as a defendant in the case.
Hadi Sirika was accused of using his position as the Minister of Aviation to unfairly award contracts to companies in which his associates and family had interests. The defendants faced six charges bordering on contract fraud of up to $1.9 million (₦2.8 billion). It is important to note that the first defendant, Hadi Sirika, was one of the most powerful ministers in the previous administration.
Photo: shynebellz | Shutterstock
The ex-minister and his family members heard the charges brought against them by the EFCC. They all pleaded not guilty, with the defense counsels urging the court to grant their clients bail. The prosecution did not oppose the bail applications but asked for strict conditions to be set. As such, High Court Justice SC Oriji granted the defendants bail of up to $70,000 (₦100 million) each.
Under the conditions set, Sirika and his relatives will not be allowed to travel outside Nigeria without the leave of the court. According to the EFCC, the defendants were all remanded at the Kuje Correctional Center until bail conditions were met. The matter was adjourned till June 10, 11, and 20 for commencement of trial.
Six charges against the defendants
In February 2024, Nigeria’s current Aviation Minister, who took office in August 2023, stated that the EFCC was investigating the Nigeria Air project. The proposed national carrier has been under scrutiny for several months after it failed to take off. Last year, ex-Minister Sirika chartered a Boeing 737 from partner Ethiopian Airlines and presented it to the public as Nigeria Air’s first aircraft.
Some of the charges are related to the attempted launch of the national carrier, which remains grounded. The first charge alleged that Hadi Sirika, as minister, between April 2022 and March 2023, used his position to “confer unfair advantage” on Tianaero Nigeria Limited, a company owned by his associate Gabriel Tilmann. He allegedly awarded the company a consultancy contract of up to $904,000 (₦1.3 billion) for Nigeria Air.
In the second charge, the minister was accused of unfairly awarding a $1 million (₦1.5 billion) contract to Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, a company run by his daughter and son-in-law. The contract was for the Apron extension at Katsina Airport. The third charge alleged that the ex-minister, entrusted with $1 million, was dishonestly connected with illegally awarding the Apron extension contract to Al Buraq Investment.
Photo: Nigeria Air
The fourth charge alleged that Hadi Sirika, as the minister, his daughter Fatima, as a public servant and employee of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC), and his son-in-law Jalal Sule Hamma, as a public servant and employee of Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, knowingly held indirect private interests in the Katsina Airport apron extension contract.
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In the fifth charge, Fatima, Jalal, and Al Buraq Investment were in possession of over $904,000 (₦1.3 billion), which they knew represented the proceeds of criminal conduct of Hadi Sirika during his time in office. In the sixth charge, Sirika was accused of being connected with the illegal award of the Nigeria Air consultancy contract to Tianaero Nigeria Limited.
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