Hadi Sirika, the former Minister of Aviation, was apprehended yesterday and placed under the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) amidst the ongoing investigation into the unsuccessful Nigeria Air project.
In addition to the project probe, credible sources disclosed that Sirika was undergoing interrogation for suspected involvement in “conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds to the tune of N80.06 billion, and contract inflation” during his tenure at the aviation ministry, according to Daily Trust.
Detailing the arrest, an official from the anti-graft agency stated, “He was picked up at his Abuja residence by our operatives.” Speaking on condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization, the official added, “Yes, he has been taken into custody and is meeting with our detectives to explain how some funds to the tune of N8, 069,176,864.00 were expended in his ministry when he was the minister.”
Another source emphasized, “All necessary checks have been done before the invitation and he will be asked to explain the role he played in the (alleged) infractions. It is an ongoing thing, we will not relent.”
Despite attempts to contact Sirika, his phone was unreachable at the time of reporting. Sirika, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari, had also held positions in the House of Representatives and Senate.
In a related development, the EFCC is preparing to summon all the sacked directors who worked directly under Sirika in the aviation ministry. This follows petitions from stakeholders, including aviation unions and civil society organizations, urging a probe into the sector after the failed national carrier initiative.
Regarding the frozen account linked to Sirika’s younger brother, Abubakar Ahmad Sirika, the EFCC had yet to lift restrictions, findings revealed. Allegations of money laundering surfaced after approximately N3.2 billion was traced to Abubakar’s private company, Engirios Nigeria Limited.
According to EFCC’s detectives, contracts awarded by the ex-minister to his brother’s company remained unfulfilled, totaling to N8,069,176,864.00. Investigators alleged that no trace of work had been done on any of the contract items to date.
Despite attempts to reach Abubakar for comment, the Sirika family had reportedly decided not to discuss the matter with the media.