Former Minister for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, don plead 'not guilty' to a six-count charge wey di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) dey accuse am.

Na on Thursday di EFCC arraign Sirika, im daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika, im son-in-law, Jalal Hamma and one company wey im name na Al-Duraq Investment Ltd, bifor Justice Sylvanus Oriji of di FCT High Court for Maitama, Abuja.

Di EFCC allege say Sirika bin use im position as minister to confer unfair advantage on im daughter and her husband by giving dem consultancy roles for di Nigerian Air start up, and also awarding dem contracts to construct an extension for Katsina Airport.

Wetin happun for court
As Sirika plead not guilty, im counsel, Kanu Agabi urge di court to grant im client bail on self recognition sake of say im be former Minister and former senator, or to grant am bail on liberal terms by putting a bail amount wey im go fit afford.

EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs, no oppose di bail application but e ask di court to impose hard bail conditions.

Afta di arguments, Justice Oriji grant di accused pesin bail in di sum of N100m two sureties in like sum.

Di surety go dey responsible citizens and get landed property within Abuja. Defendants no go travel outside di kontri.

Dem adjourn di matter to 10, 11 and 20 June for continuation of hearing.

Afta di court session, EFCC lawyer tell tori pipo say dem still get anoda set of charges against Sirika and dem dey wait for di Judge wey dey handle di mata to give dem date for arraignment.



Count 1: Tok say Hadi Abubakar Sirika during im time as Aviation Minister between April, 2022 and March, 2023, in Abuja, use im position to give unfair advantage to Tianaero Nigeria Limited wey im alter ego, Prof Gabriel Tillmann na im Associate, and im use im position to influence di award to them.

Dis na di Consultancy contract to start up Nigerian Air and extension of di same for di sum of N1,326,731,470.97 (One Billion, Three Hundred and Twenty Six Million, Seven Hundred and Thirty One Thousand, Four Hundred and Seventy Naira, Ninety seven kobo Only).

Dem tok say by doing dis im commit offence wey dey contrary to section 19 of di Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and e dey punishable under di same section.”

Count 2: Tok say wen Hadi Sirika na Minister of Aviation, on or about 18 August, 2022, in Abuja, use im position to give unfair advantage to Al Buraq Global Investment Limited wey im alter ego, Fatima Hadi Sirika and Jalal Sule Hamma be im daughter and son-in-law.

E also use im position to influence and give dem, di contract for di Apron Extension for Katsina Airport for di sum of N1,498,300,750.00 (One Billion, Four Hundred and Ninety-Eight Million, Three Hundred Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty Naira Only).

Di charges state say e commit offence contrary to section 19 of di Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act. 2000 and e dey punishable under di same section.

Count 3: Say Hadi Abubukar Sirika, wen im be di Minister of Aviation and wit im capacity as a public officer on or about 18 August, 2022 for Abuja. Dem bin entrust wit certain property, wit di sum of N1,498,300,750.00 (One Billion, Four Hundred and Ninety-Eight Million, Three Hundred Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty Naira Only).

Diafore e commit criminal breach of trust in respect of di property sake of say im dey dishonestly connected wit di illegal award of contract for di Apron Extension for Katsina Airport, to and for di benefit of Al Buraq Global Investment Limited wey di alter ego na Fatima Hadi Sirika and Jalal Sule Hamma, wey be im daughter and son-in-law.

Dem say e commit offence wey dey contrary to section 315 of di Penal Code Act. Cap. 532.

Acts of di Federal Capital Territory and punishable under di same section.

Count 4: Say Hadi Abubakar Sirika, wen im be Minister of Aviation and Fatima Hadi Sirika wey be public servant and an employee of di Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd, and Jalal Sule Hamma wey be public servant and an employee of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.

On or about 18 August, 2022, for Abuja, knowingly hold indirectly private interests for di contract for di Apron Extension for Katsina Airport for di sum of N1,498,300,750.00 (One Billion, Four Hundred and Ninety-Eight Million, Three Hundred Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty Naira Only) wey e award to Al Buraq Investment wey di alter ego na Fatima Hadi Sirika and Jalal Sule Hamma.

According to di charges e award di contract on account of public service and im commit offence contrary to section 12 of di Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and dey punishable under di same section.

Count 5: say Fatima Hadi Sirika, Jalal Sule Hamma and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited between 2022 and 2023 for Abuja, bin get possession of an aggregate sum of N1,310,142,051.16 (One Billion, Three Hundred and Ten Million, One Hundred and Forty-Two Thousand, Fifty-one, Naira, Sixteen kobo Only).

And dem bin know say bdi money indirectly represent di proceeds of criminal conducts of Hadi Abubakar Sirika wey be former Minister of Aviation dat time.

Dem commit offence contrary to Section 17 (b) of di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 and e dey punishable under di same section.

Count 6: Say Hadi Abubakar Sirika, wen e be Minister of Aviation and dey get such capacity as a public officer for Abuja, dem bin entrust certain property to di sum of N1,326,731,470.97 (One Billion, Three Hundred and Twenty Six Million, Seven Hundred and Thirty One Thousand, Four Hundred and Seventy Naira, Ninety seven kobo Only).

E also commit criminal breach of trust in respect of di property as im dey dishonestly connected wit di illegal award of di Consultancy contract to start di Nigerian Air and extension of same, to and for di benefit of Tianaero Nigeria Limited wey di alter ego na Prof. Gabriel Tillmann, wey be im Associate.

E commit offence contrary to section 315 of di Penal Code Act, Cap. 532. Acts of di Federal Capital Territory and dey punishable under di same section.”

One of Hadi Sirika main project as Minister of Aviation na to bring back Nigeria carrier (Nigeria Airways) wey don die since.

Im call im own Nigeria Air but e no workout as Nigerians begin raise alarm for social media wen dem suspect mago-mago afta e begin trend online dat time say, di Aircraft wey e commission as Air Nigeria, no be Nigeria get am.

Tori begin fly upandan say e borrow di aeroplane from Ethiopia Airlines wey cause controversy.

One former Minister bin try to explain wetin bin happun for di Nigeria Air controversy but e no still clear for Nigerians eyes as pipo kontinu to ask questions.

Hadi Sirika Profile

Hadi Abubakar Sirika na former Minister for Aviation for Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari.

Na 2 March 1964 dem born am for Shargalle, Dutsi Local Goment area of Katsina state.

Na former Member House of Representative from 2003 to 2007, and former Senator for Nigeria between 2012 t0 2015.

Im bin represent Katsina North Senatorial District under di former Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) for 2011 election.

Sirika na former vice-chairman of di Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Committee wey di Nigerian Senate bin setup.

Im graduate from Petroleum Helicopters institute for USA, Flight Safety International, USA and Delta Aeronautics, United States of America.