HADI SIRIKA: NIGERIA AIR, FAMILY CONTRACTS AND THE N2.8 BILLION TRIAL

THE FORMER AVIATION MINISTER, HIS DAUGHTER, HIS SON-IN-LAW AND THE CONTRACTS NOW BEFORE THE COURT

For 8 years, Hadi Sirika was among the most noticeable ministers in the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
As Minister of Aviation, he monitored airports, air travel facilities and the federal government’s prepare for a brand-new nationwide provider.

The nationwide provider was to be called Nigeria Air.
The airline company never ever started typical industrial operations.
3 days before Buhari left workplace in May 2023, an airplane appeared at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja using Nigeria Air colours.
It existed openly as Nigeria Air.
The airplane left Nigeria 2 days later on.
The episode is now part of the proof in a criminal trial versus Sirika.

The EFCC declares that Sirika abused his workplace in connection with agreements worth around? 2.8 billion.
His child, Fatima Sirika; his son-in-law, Jalal Hamma; and their business, Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, are likewise defendants.All 4 have actually pleaded innocent.

THE SIX-COUNT CHARGE

The changed charge consists of 6 counts.
The EFCC declares abuse of workplace, agreement scams and associated offenses.
The commission states Sirika utilized his position as air travel minister to give an unjust benefit on business connected to members of his household and partners.

Among the primary agreements worries the extension of the apron at Katsina Airport.
Another issues consultancy services connected with the Nigeria Air task.
The combined worth of the agreements in the event has to do with? 2.83 billion.

THE KATSINA AIRPORT CONTRACT

The Katsina Airport agreement is among the most vital parts of the prosecution’s case.
The EFCC declares that Al Buraq Global Investment Limited got an agreement worth around N1.498 billion for the extension of the airport apron.
The business’s connection to Sirika’s child and son-in-law ended up being main to the prosecution.
The commission declares that Sirika utilized his position to affect the award of the agreement.
It even more declared that roughly N1.3 billion was traced to Sirika as earnings of criminal conduct in the kind of satisfaction.
Sirika has actually rejected misdeed.
His child, son-in-law and their business have actually likewise rejected the accusations.

THE CONTRACT WAS SPLIT

A prosecution witness, EFCC private investigator Christopher Odofin, informed the court that the Katsina Airport task was divided into different parts.
According to his statement, the terminal-building element went to Enginos Nigeria Limited, a business connected to Sirika’s sibling.
The apron-extension part went to Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, connected to Sirika’s child and son-in-law.
The witness declared that splitting the task lowered the level of examination that would otherwise have actually used to the whole agreement.
He even more declared that the recipient business got their payments in advance.
The proof nevertheless stays based on the defence’s difficulty.

THE “UNQUALIFIED” COMPANY

Another prosecution witness, Musa Odiniyan, a retired director in the Ministry of Aviation’s procurement department, affirmed that Al Buraq was not received the Katsina Airport agreement.
Odiniyan informed the court that the business did not satisfy the requirements that need to have been used to the agreement.
The testament ended up being a fundamental part of the EFCC’s accusation that the procurement procedure had actually been controlled.
The defence is nevertheless to challenge that proof and provide its own case.

THE N299 MILLION NIGERIA AIR CONTRACT

Another significant deal includes Tianaero Nigeria Limited, likewise described in court as TNL.
The EFCC declares that the business, owned by Sirika’s buddy Gabriel Tilmann, was granted a consultancy agreement gotten in touch with the Nigeria Air task.
The preliminary agreement deserved more than? 299 million.
According to prosecution proof, it was granted on April 4, 2022.
The agreement was later on extended on October 17, 2022, taking the overall worth above N599 million.
The EFCC witness informed the court that the extension was made on Sirika’s guidelines and totaled up to a breach of procurement treatments.

THE BPP APPROVAL

The procurement procedure surrounding Tianaero ended up being another point of disagreement.
The EFCC witness informed the court that the agreement award letter had actually currently been provided before the Ministry of Aviation got an action from the Bureau of Public Procurement.
The prosecution’s position is that the series breached due procedure.
The defence has actually challenged the prosecution’s analysis of the files and the function credited to Sirika.
In July 2026, the very same EFCC private investigator acknowledged under interrogation that Sirika did not sign the procurement files associating with the Tianaero agreement.
The files were signed by the then Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation, Abel Enitan.
The witness likewise acknowledged that main correspondence in between the ministry and the BPP did not, on its face, reveal that Sirika directed or caused Enitan to look for BPP approval.
That proof has actually entered into the defence’s difficulty to the prosecution’s case.

THE VOICE NOTE

The prosecution has actually likewise put a supposed voice recording before the court.
In July 2026, Justice Sylvanus Oriji listened to a voice note which the EFCC states includes Sirika’s guidelines to the previous long-term secretary.
The prosecution witness determined the voice as Sirika’s.
According to the prosecution, the recording included directions worrying the award of a consultancy agreement to his pal.
The defence did not reject that the voice was Sirika’s.
Defence attorneys booked their objections to the admissibility of the recording and its contents for their last composed addresses.
That difference is essential.
The truth that the recording was played in court nevertheless does not by itself develop the criminal claims versus Sirika.
The court will figure out the evidential weight to connect to it.

THE NIGERIA AIR AIRCRAFT

The Nigeria Air episode has actually offered the trial its most significant piece of proof.
The airplane revealed at Abuja on May 27, 2023 was, according to the EFCC’s 12th prosecution witness, an Ethiopian Airlines airplane chartered for a three-day screen.
The airplane got here using Nigeria Air colours.
The witness informed the court that it was utilized from May 27 to May 29.
The Buhari administration turned over power on May 29.
According to the statement, the airplane was flown back to Addis Ababa soon after the handover and the Nigeria Air markings were gotten rid of.
The prosecution has actually explained the plan as part of its case worrying the Nigeria Air agreement.
The defence has the chance to challenge the proof.

THE CONTRACT DOCUMENT

The prosecution witness informed the court that the plan including Ethiopian Airlines was consisted of in a contract arrangement.
He stated the airplane had actually been offered for the Abuja screen and consequently went back to Ethiopia.
The statement is being utilized by the EFCC to develop what it states was the nature of the Nigeria Air unveiling.
The court has actually not ruled on the accusations.

THE INVESTIGATION STARTED WITH A PETITION

The EFCC’s examination did not start with the airplane display screen.
An air travel employees’union had earlier petitioned the commission.
A prosecution witness informed the court that the EFCC got a petition in 2021 worrying Sirika and others.
That petition ultimately added to the examination that produced the criminal charges.

THE STATEMENTS THAT THE COURT REJECTED

The prosecution has actually likewise suffered an evidentiary obstacle.
In April 2026, Justice Oriji turned down declarations made by Fatima Sirika and Jalal Hamma throughout their EFCC examinations.
The 2 accuseds had actually challenged the admissibility of their declarations.
The EFCC private investigator affirmed that Fatima had actually appeared with 2 legal representatives which Jalal had actually likewise been accompanied by counsel.
The statement-taking sessions were not video-recorded.
The judge ruled that the EFCC had actually stopped working to adhere to Section 15( 4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
The declarations were for that reason ruled inadmissible.
The judgment did not end the prosecution.
The EFCC continued providing other proof.

THE DEFENCE ATTACK

In June 2026, counsel for among the offenders asked the court to avoid the prosecution from providing more proof and looked for the termination of the charges.
The defence argued that the case had actually been set up on the basis of an insufficient examination.
EFCC counsel opposed the application, arguing that the law allows extra proof to be provided before last judgment.
Justice Oriji ruled that the problems raised were carefully gotten in touch with the substantive case and needs to be handled together with the last judgment instead of in seclusion.
The trial for that reason continued.

ANOTHER N19.4 BILLION CASE

The N2.8 billion case is not the only criminal case including Sirika.
The previous minister is likewise dealing with a different prosecution including supposed N19.4 billion in agreements.
That case includes Sirika, his more youthful bro Ahmad Abubakar and 2 business, Al-Buraq Limited and Enginos Nigeria Limited.
The EFCC declares abuse of workplace, criminal breach of trust and usage of position for satisfaction.
The agreements because different case were presumably granted to a business connected to Sirika’s sibling.
The 2nd prosecution is different from the N2.8 billion case including Sirika’s child and son-in-law.

THE FAMILY FACTOR

The household connections have actually made the very first case especially delicate.
The prosecution is not declaring simply that a minister authorized normal federal government agreements.
Its case is that business linked to his child, son-in-law and, in the different prosecution, his bro, took advantage of federal government agreements throughout his period.
Sirika’s action has actually been a rejection of misbehavior.
The court should identify whether the prosecution has actually shown the particular offenses versus him and the other offenders.
A household relationship, by itself, does not develop a criminal offense.

THE FORMER MINISTER’S POSITION

Sirika has actually pleaded innocent.
His attorneys have actually challenged the prosecution’s proof, consisting of the scenarios surrounding the agreements and the admissibility of some exhibitions.
The defence has actually likewise highlighted proof revealing that Sirika did not sign a few of the procurement files.
Those points will form part of the last arguments before judgment.

THE AIRLINE THAT NEVER TOOK OFF

Nigeria Air was expected to end up being Nigeria’s brand-new nationwide provider.
Rather, its most noticeable public look came simply days before the Buhari administration left workplace.
An airplane got here.
The Nigeria Air logo design was shown.
The airplane was photographed on the Abuja tarmac.
It returned to Ethiopia.
More than 3 years later on, the scenarios surrounding that display screen are being analyzed in a criminal trial.

THE CASE IS NOT OVER

The EFCC has actually provided proof.
The defence has actually challenged parts of it.
2 declarations have actually been declined.
A supposed voice recording has actually been played.
Witnesses have actually affirmed about procurement files.
The court has actually heard proof worrying the Katsina Airport agreement, Tianaero and the Nigeria Air airplane.
No last decision has actually been provided.
Sirika, his child, his son-in-law and Al Buraq stay assumed innocent till the court figures out the charges versus them.