Witness testifies against ex-aviation minister Hadi Sirika in alleged N2.7bn fraud case

At the Federal High Court in Abuja, a key witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Musa Odiniya, provided detailed testimony on Tuesday in the ongoing trial of former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika.

Sirika, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari, faces allegations of N2.7 billion contract fraud. The EFCC has charged Sirika, his daughter Fatima, Jalal Sule Hamma, and Al-Duraq Investment Nigeria Limited with six counts of abuse of office and contract fraud.

Presiding over the case, Justice Sylvanus Orji heard the accusations that Sirika had exploited his ministerial position to award contracts to a company linked to his daughter and son-in-law, violating Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and Section 17(b) of the EFCC Act, 2004.

Odiniya, formerly the director of procurement at the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), testified that Al-Duraq Investment Nigeria Limited, which was only registered in 2021, secured the contract for the Apron Extension project at Katsina Airport in 2022.

He explained that standard contract bidding protocols require companies to submit affidavits verifying that they have no connection to ministry staff involved in awarding the contract.

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“No contract should be awarded to a company connected to a member of staff at the ministry where the contract is to be executed. My department is not permitted to approve contracts for a company in which, for example, the minister is a signatory,” Odiniya stated.

Under questioning by EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Odiniya revealed that he became aware of the relationship between the defendants and Al-Duraq Investment only when presented with documentation at the EFCC’s office.

“The defendants’ companies were registered in 2021, and the contract was awarded in 2022. A company established within such a short timeframe often lacks the capacity to manage such projects. This company was not qualified,” he added.

Justice Orji has scheduled the continuation of the trial for January 23, 2025, as the court seeks further evidence and testimonies to unravel the details of the case.

The prosecution’s allegations underscore concerns of conflicts of interest and procedural breaches in high-level contract awards.