The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, his brother, Abubakar Sirika, and their company, Enginos Nigeria Limited, with over N19.4 billion fraud. This is the second criminal charge filed against the ex-aviation minister.
The charges are related to several aviation ministry contracts awarded by Sirika to Enginos Nigeria Limited, owned by his younger brother, Abubakar. The Sirika brothers and Enginos Nigeria Limited are scheduled to be arraigned before Justice Belgore of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja today.
This development comes after Sirika was last Thursday arraigned for N2.7 billion fraud before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja. He was charged alongside his daughter, Fatimah; brother-in-law, Jalal Hamma, and Al-Buraq Investment Ltd. The defendants pleaded not guilty, and Justice Sylvanus Oriji granted them N100 million bail each, with the condition that they must not travel out of the country until the end of the criminal case.
The EFCC has alleged that Sirika, while being the Minister of Aviation, used his position to confer unfair advantages on Enginos Nigeria Limited, which is owned by his biological brother, Abubakar. The anti-graft agency accused Sirika of violating Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.
In the fresh charges, the EFCC alleged that Sirika used his position to influence the award of several contracts to his brother’s company, including a N1.345 billion contract for the construction of a terminal building at Katsina Airport, a N3.811 billion contract for the establishment of Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre at Katsina Airport, and a N615 million contract for the procurement and installation of lift and air conditioners and power generators for the Aviation House in Abuja.
Furthermore, the EFCC alleged that Sirika had possession of an aggregate sum of N2.337 billion, which sum he knew indirectly represented the proceeds of criminal conducts of Hadi Abubakar Sirika, who was the Minister of Aviation at the time.
The ex-minister’s younger brother, Abubakar, was earlier arrested and detained by the EFCC in connection with N3.212 billion paid to his company, Enginos Nigerian Limited’s bank account by the former minister.
The EFCC’s actions are part of its ongoing efforts to combat corruption and ensure accountability in public office. The case is set to proceed in court, with the defendants facing serious charges of fraud and abuse of office.
