Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Federal Government through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, will today, Thursday, May 9, slam a N2.7 billion fraud charge against the immediate- past Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, and his daughter.
The prosecution of Sirika who served under the administration of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, is in connection with the botched Nigeria Air project.
Findings by Ikengaonline revealed that the ex-Aviation boss will be arraigned on six counts alongside his daughter, Fatimah, and two others before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja.
According to the court documents sighted by our correspondent on Wednesday, the other defendants are one Jalal Hamma, and Al-Buraq Investment Ltd.
The EFCC, in the charges, accused Sirika of conferring undue advantage on some entities between April 2022 and March 2023 in Abuja.
The anti-graft agency alleged that Sirika abused his office by awarding consultancy N1.3bn contract for the Nigerian Air Start-up to Tianero Nigeria Limited.
The EFCC said Sirika acted contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
In another count, EFCC alleged that on or about August 18, 2022 in Abuja, Sirika “did use your 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.”
According to EFCC, by some doing, Sirika violated Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and was liable to punishment under the same section.
The EFCC, in count three of the charge accused Sirika of criminal breach of trust “while being the Minister of Aviation and in such capacity as a public officer on or about August 18, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court.”
