Hadi Sirika
Nearly one year after leaving office, former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, will today explain to Nigerians what he did with the huge sum of money given to him to float a national airline, Air Nigeria, which eventually flopped, despite the expenditure of the money.
The former minister will however, have the opportunity to tell his story to Nigerians before a judge of the FCT High Court Abuja, where the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has dragged him, his daughter, Fatima, son-in-law, Jalal Sule Hamma and their company, Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, to explain the roles they played in diverting the money meant for aviation services under the ministry which he headed under Buhari administration.
Specifically, EFCC has slammed six charges against the former minister, his daughter and son-in-law, who are employees of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission as well as their company, Al Buraq Global Investment Limited for alleged diversion of public funds meant for aviation projects.
The charges are: That you Hadi Abubakar Sirika, while being the Minister of Aviation. between April, 2022 and March, 2023, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon Tianaero Nigeria Limited whose alter ego, Prof. Gabriel Tilmann is your Associate by using your position to influence the award to them, the Consultancy contract for the Nigerian Air start-up and extension on of same for the sum of N1.326,731,470.97 and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.
Count 2 states: That you Hadi Abubakar Sirika, while being the Minister of Aviation, on or about 18th August, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon Al Buraq Global Investment Ltd, 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 and you thereby. committed an offence contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.
Count 3 reads: That you Hadi Abubakar Sirika, while being the Minister of Aviation and in such capacity as a public officer on or about 18 the of August, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with certain property to wit the sum of N1.498,300,750.00 committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by being dishonestly connected with the illegal award of contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport, to and for the benefit of Al Buraq Global Investment Ltd, whose alter ego, Fatima Hadi Sirika and Jalal Sule Hamma, your daughter and son-in-law respectively and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap. 532, Acts of the Federal Capital Territory and punishable under the same section.
Count 4: That you Hadi Abubakar Sirika, while being the Minister of Aviation and Fatima Hadi Sirika while being a public servant and an employee of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd and Jalal Sule Hamma while being a public servant and an employee of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission on or about 18 of August, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly hold indirectly private interests in the contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,498,300,750.00 awarded to Al Buraq Global Investment Ltd, whose alter ego, Fatima Hadi Sirika and Jalal Sule Hamma , which contract was awarded on account of public service and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.
Count 5: That you Fatima Hadi Sirika, Jalal Sule Hamma and Al Buraq Global Investment Ltd between 2022 and 2023 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, had possession of an aggregate sum of N1,310,142,051.16, which sum you knew indirectly represented the proceeds of criminal conducts of Hadi Abubakar Sirika, who was the Minister of Aviation at the time (to wit use of office or position for gratification in respect of the said amount), and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17 (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under the same section.
Count 6: That you Hadi Abubakar Sirika, while being the Minister of Aviation and in such capacity as a public officer between April, 2022 and March 2023, in Abuja: within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with certain property to wit, the sum of N1,326,731,470.97, committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by being dishonestly connected with the illegal award of the Consultancy contract for the Nigerian Air Start-up and extension of same to and for the benefit of Tianaero Nigeria Limited whose alter ego is Prof. Gabriel Tilmann, your Associate and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap. 532, Acts of the Federal Capital Territory and punishable under the same section,
The EFCC had last month investigated Sirika and others over the failed Nigeria Air and the contracts for the Katsina Airport and later freed him temporarily on administrative bail.
It is not clear how long the case would last but Sirika, who was a powerful minister under President Muhammadu Buhari, is among the first set of top officials of the administration to be charged by the EFCC for alleged graft.
