EFCC to Arraign Sirika, Daughter, and Two Others for Suspected Fraud on Thursday
Former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika will be charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama.
Serving under the government of former President Muhammadu Buhari, Sirika would be charged with six revised counts.
For alleged abuse of an office, Sirika will arraign Jalal Hamma, Al-Duraq Investment Ltd., and his daughter Fatima.
The charge sheet shown states that Sirika allegedly awarded contracts to his daughter, son-in-law, and colleagues fraudulently while serving as the Minister of Aviation.
Count one read: “That you HADI ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, while being the Minister of Aviation, between April, 2022 and March, 2023, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon TIANAERO NIGERIA LIMITED whose alter ego, PROF. GABRIEL TILMANN is your Associate, by using your position to influence the award to them, the Consultancy contract for the Nigerian Air Start-up and extension of same for the sum of N1,326,731,470.97 (One Billion, Three Hundred and Twenty Six Million, Seven Hundred and Thirty One Thousand, Four Hundred and Seventy Naira, Ninety seven kobo Only) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.”
Count two read: “That you HADI ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, while being the Minister of Aviation, on or about 18 August, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon AL BURAQ GLOBAL INVESTMENT LTD whose alter ego, FATIMA HADI SIRIKA and JALAL SULE HAMMA are your daughter and son-in-law respectively, by using your position to influence the award to them, the contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,498,300,750.00 (One Billion, Four Hundred and Ninety-Eight Million, Three Hundred Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty Naira Only) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act. 2000 and punishable under the same section.”
“That you, HADI ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, while being the Minister of Aviation and in such capacity as a public officer on or about August 18, 2022. in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with certain property to wit the sum of N1,498,300,750.00 (One Billion, Four Hundred and Ninety-Eight Million, Three Hundred Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty Naira Only”). was dishonestly associated with the illegal award of contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport, to and for the benefit of AL BURAQ GLOBAL INVESTMENT LTD whose alter ego are FATIMA HADI SIRIKA and JALAL SULE HAΜΜA, your daughter and son-in-law respectively, and you thus committed an offence contrary to section 315 of the Penal Code Act. Cap. 532. Acts of the Federal Capital Territory and punishable under the same section.
Fourth count: “That you, HADI ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, were the Minister of Aviation. FATIMA HADI SIRIKA while being a public servant and an employee of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. and JALAL SULE HAMMA while being a public servant and an employee of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission on or about 18 August, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly hold indirectly private interests in the contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,498,300,750.00 (One Billion, Four Hundred and Ninety-Eight Million, Three Hundred Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty Naira Only) awarded to AL BURAQ GLOBAL INVESTMENT LTD whose alter ego are FATIMA HADI SIRIKA and JALAL SULE HAMMA, which contract was awarded on account of public service and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.”
Count five: “That you FATIMA HADI SIRIKA, JALAL SULE HAMMA and AL BURAQ GLOBAL INVESTMENT LTD. between 2022 and 2023 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, had possession of an aggregate sum of N1,310,142,051.16 (One Billion, Three Hundred and Ten Million, One Hundred and Forty-Two Thousand, Fifty-one, Naira, Sixteen kobo Only) which sum you knew indirectly represented the proceeds of criminal conducts of HADI ABUBAKAR SIRIKA who was the Minister of Aviation at the time (to wit use of office or position for gratification in respect of the said amount), and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17 (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under the same section.”
Count six read: “That you HADI ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, while being the Minister of Aviation and in such capacity as a public officer between April, 2022 and March, 2023, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with certain property to wit, the sum of N1,326,731,470.97 (One Billion, Three Hundred and Twenty Six Million, Seven Hundred and Thirty One Thousand, Four Hundred and Seventy Naira, Ninety seven kobo Only), committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by being dishonestly connected with the illegal award of the Consultancy contract for the Nigerian Air Start-up and extension of same, to and for the benefit of TIANAERO NIGERIA LIMITED whose alter ego is PROF. GABRIEL TILMANN, your Associate and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap. 532. Acts of the Federal Capital Territory and punishable under the same section.”