Sirika, daughter accused of N2.7 billion fraud

Barring a last-minute change, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will today (Thursday) prosecute former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, for alleged N2.7 billion fraud in connection with the failed Nigerian Air project.

Sirika will be arraigned on six charges along with his daughter, Fatimah, and two others before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.

According to court documents accessed by our correspondent on Wednesday, the other defendants are Jalal Hamma and Al-Buraq Investment Ltd.

The EFCC, in the charges, accused Sirika of conferring undue advantages on some entities between April 2022 and March 2023 in Abuja.

The anti-graft agency alleged that Sirika abused his position by awarding a consultancy contract worth N1.3 billion for Nigerian Air Start-up to Tianero Nigeria Limited.

The EFCC said the former minister acted contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Act 2000.

In another charge, the anti-graft agency alleged that on or about August 18, 2022 in Abuja, Sirika “used his position to confer an unfair advantage on Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, whose alter ego, Fatima Hadi Sirika and Jalal Sule Hamma are his daughter and his son-in-law respectively, using their position to influence the award of the contract for the expansion of the apron at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,498,300,750.00.”

The anti-graft agency said that by some actions, Sirika violated Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Act, 2000 and was subject to punishment under the same section.

In the third count, the EFCC charged Sirika with criminal breach of trust “while he was Minister of Aviation and in his capacity as a public servant on or about August 18, 2022, at Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court.”

In late April, the anti-corruption agency detained the former aviation minister and interrogated him for days.