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EFCC Charges Ex-Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, Brother, and Company with N19.4bn Fraud

Written by Jerry Alomatu on May 14, 2024

News Views: 232

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has brought charges against former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, his brother Ahmad Sirika, and their company Enginos Nigeria Limited, alleging a fraud amounting to over N19.4 billion.

The charges relate to various contracts awarded by the former minister to Enginos Nigeria Limited, a company owned by Sirika’s younger brother, Abubakar.

The Sirika brothers and Enginos Nigeria Limited are scheduled to appear before Justice Belgore of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Garki, Abuja, today (Tuesday).

The arraignment comes barely a week after the anti-graft agency slammed similar charges on Hadi Sirika, his daughter, Fatima, and son-in-law, Jalal and another company, Al Buraq . They pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail by Justice Sylvanus Oriji, with the condition that they must not leave the country until the conclusion of the trial.

In the fresh charges, the EFCC alleges that Sirika, while serving as Minister of Aviation, used his position to confer an unfair advantage upon Enginos Nigeria Limited, which is owned by his brother, by influencing the award of contracts to the company.

The charges specify instances where Sirika allegedly influenced the award of contracts for the construction of a terminal building and the establishment of a Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre at Katsina Airport, among others.

Additionally, Sirika is accused of corruptly awarding contracts for the procurement and installation of lift and air conditioners and power generators for the Aviation House in Abuja to his brother’s company.

The EFCC further alleges that Sirika had possession of funds amounting to over N2.3 billion, which indirectly represented proceeds of criminal activities by Hadi Abubakar Sirika, the former Minister of Aviation.

Abubakar, the ex-minister’s younger brother, had previously been arrested and detained by the EFCC in connection with payments totaling N3.2 billion made to Enginos Nigerian Limited’s bank account by Hadi Sirika.