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Sen. Hadi Sirika |
Former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with an ongoing investigation involving money laundering amounting to N8,069,176,864.00.
Sources within the EFCC confirmed that Sirika's arrest is linked to fraudulent contracts he allegedly authorized for a company called Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by his younger sibling, Abubakar Sirika.
The investigation gained momentum after revelations made by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, earlier in January, stating that the EFCC was probing the controversial Nigeria Air deal, which was sealed during Sirika's tenure as the aviation minister under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Keyamo disclosed, "The EFCC is investigating that deal. There is a criminal investigation going on. I have called for the report."
Reports from SaharaReporters in May 2023 had indicated that the aircraft unveiled by then-President Buhari, a few days before leaving office, was over a decade old and actually belonged to Ethiopian Airlines. According to Plane Spotters, an aircraft inventory platform, its Mode was S Q4005C, and its Serial Number was 40965/4075.
The launch of "Nigeria Air" was criticized by the Concerned Northern Forum, labeling it as a half-baked project driven by lies, deception, and corruption amounting to billions of naira.
Furthermore, the current aviation minister revealed that there were no plans by the Bola Tinubu government to revitalize any local airline to serve as the national carrier, emphasizing the need to establish a proper national carrier instead.
The arrest of Hadi Sirika marks a significant development in the investigation into the alleged financial misconduct surrounding the Nigeria Air project, raising questions about accountability and transparency within government contracts and initiatives.
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