Alleged N2.7b Fraud: Witness Narrates How Ex-Aviation Minster Hadi Sirika Split Aviation Contracts among Family Members

Sirika

By JUMOKE SANNI

The Twelfth Prosecution Witness, PW12, Christopher Adekunle Odofin in the trial of the former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Abubakar Sirika on Tuesday, July 1, 2025 told the FCT High Court, Maitama, Abuja, presided over by Justice S.C Oriji that the defendant used his position as a sitting minister from November 11, 2016 to May 29, 2023 to split federal government aviation contracts among his family members.

Hadi Sirika, being the first defendant, is standing trial alongside his daughter Fatima Hadi Sirika, son in law, Hamma Jalal Sule and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited on amended six-count charge, bordering on abuse of office and money laundering to the of N2.7 billion.

Led by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, the witness, who is an investigating officer with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, disclosed that the contract for the Terminal Building and Apron Expansion was a single contract as designated in Serial No 13 in the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP’s response to the Federal Ministry of Aviation in a letter dated June 6, 2022. However, the first defendant, he disclosed, used his influence to split the contract into two and awarded a part to Enginos Nigeria Limited at N1.3 billion and the other part to Al Buraq Global investment Ltd at N1.4 billion. By awarding the split contract at N1.3 billion and N1.4 billion, respectively, he was said to have avoided reverting to the BPP and Federal Executive Council, FEC for their approvals because both contract figures fall within the threshold of the contract sums he can approve as minister.

Further investigations, the witness said, showed that Enginos Nigeria Ltd, which the defendant awarded the Terminal Building is owned by his younger brother, Hamad Sirika, while Al Buraq Global Investment Ltd, the fourth defendant he awarded the Apron Expansion, is owned by his daughter and son-in-law. Both contracts were awarded on the same day, August 18, 2022.