The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has set to arraign the immediate-past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, for an alleged N2.7bn fraud in connection with the botched Nigerian Air project, on the Thursday the 9th of May, 2024.
Sirika 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.
To be arraigned alongside Sirika are his daughter, Fatima; Jalal Hamma and Al-Duraq Investment Ltd, for alleged abuse of office.
According to the charge sheet sighted by Channels Television, Sirika allegedly used his position as the Minister of Aviation to fraudulently award contracts to his daughter, son in-law and associates
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
In count three, the EFCC 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.”
Early this morning the embattled Minister appeared in court, he pleaded not guilty and was granted ₦100 million bail.
