EFCC Detains Sirika, Accuses Emefiele with New Charges

The former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, was recently apprehended and is set to face charges alongside his brother, Abubakar, in connection with an alleged N8.06 billion fraud case that occurred during his time in office.

The Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, made the announcement regarding this development yesterday, emphasizing that even former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello is not exempt from legal action and will be prosecuted for financial misconduct allegations.

Additionally, the EFCC has filed a new four-count charge against former CBN governor Godwin Emefiele, focusing on his authorization of printing N684,590,000 amounting to N18.96 billion.

Emefiele is scheduled to appear before an FCT High Court next Tuesday and is currently facing separate charges in Abuja and Lagos.

Olukoyede also mentioned an ongoing investigation into allegations against suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Dr. Betta Edu, revealing that high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Aviation are also under scrutiny for suspected fraudulent activities.

The EFCC is looking into claims of conspiracy, abuse of power, misappropriation of public funds, contract inflation, breach of trust, and money laundering within the ministry, with approximately N8,069,176,864.00 worth of contracts allegedly inflated or left incomplete.

Read Also: EFCC to arraign Emefiele on new charge, alleges printing N684.5m notes with N18.9bn

One specific case involves the failure to execute the construction of a Terminal Building worth N1,345,586,500 at Katsina Airport, Sirika’s home state.

Investigations have traced around N3,212,258,930.18 to Engirios Nigerian Limited, a company owned by Abubakar Sirika, a senior official in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

According to a reliable source within the EFCC, Hadi Sirika was arrested and brought in for questioning at the commission’s Abuja Command.

The informant stated that within the past seven hours, the former Minister has been undergoing interrogation regarding his knowledge of contracts valued at N8,069,176,864.00.

The brother of the ex-Minister has provided sworn statements, prompting the need for further clarification from the former Minister. All essential documents related to the contracts and procurement process have been retrieved for the ex-Minister to address.

If all goes according to plan, the commission intends to arraign them next week. Olukoyede confirmed the investigation of the ex-Minister, assuring that updates on the findings will be shared when appropriate.

The focus is not solely on Hadi Sirika but extends to the Ministry of Aviation and various heads of agencies who served in recent years.

The ongoing investigation aims to uphold the system, processes, and national interest, emphasizing that it is not a personal pursuit against Hadi Sirika.

The EFCC is dedicated to uncovering the truth and pursuing legal action based on the evidence gathered.

A document reviewed by a correspondent revealed that four significant contracts were awarded to Engirios Nigerian Limited, a company allegedly linked to the ex-Minister’s brother, during Sirika’s tenure

The EFCC has confirmed through their investigation that Abubakar is listed as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company in question. Additionally, it has been revealed that he is the sole signatory to the company’s two accounts, indicating a significant level of control and responsibility within the organization.

The investigation has also shed light on four contracts that were awarded to the company owned by Abubakar’s brother.

These contracts include the construction of the Terminal Building in Katsina Airport, the establishment of a Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre in Katsina Airport, the procurement and installation of elevators, air conditioners, and a power generator house in Aviation House, Abuja, and the procurement of a Magnus Aircraft and simulator for the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology in Zaria.

The total value of these contracts amounts to a substantial sum. However, troubling findings have emerged from the investigation. It has been discovered that despite the substantial payments made for these contracts, there is no evidence of any work being carried out on any of the contract items to date.

This raises serious concerns about the legitimacy and integrity of the awarded contracts. As a result of these developments, Abubakar was arrested and questioned by the EFCC.

The investigation has revealed that upon receiving payment for the contracts, Abubakar allegedly transferred the funds to various companies and individuals. This raises further suspicions about the nature of these transactions and the potential involvement of other parties.

The contracts in question were awarded between August 2022 and May 2023, with specific timelines for completion. The fact that no progress has been made on these projects despite the passage of time raises significant doubts about the intentions and actions of those involved.

The investigation has also uncovered information suggesting that the contracts were awarded by the former Minister, Hadi Sirika, to his own brother, Abubakar.

This raises serious questions about the potential abuse of power and conflict of interest. It is particularly concerning that Abubakar is a civil servant and a deputy director in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, where he has been employed since 2000.

The details of the contracts, obtained from various sources and a document, reveal the specific dates and costs associated with each contract.

The first contract, awarded on August 18, 2022, was for the construction of a terminal building in Katsina Airport, with a cost of N1,345,586,500.00. The second

The fourth award, which took place on May 5, 2023, involved the procurement of Magnus Aircraft and a simulator for the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology in Zaria. The total cost of this project amounted to N2,296,897,404.00.

The EFCC, or Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, was reportedly investigating what was referred to as the “Nigeria Air fraud.” This investigation was prompted by suspicions of fraudulent activities related to the Nigeria Air project.

There was a significant controversy surrounding the amount of funds that were allocated for Nigeria Air. While critics claimed that N85 billion was spent on the project, the Minister of Aviation, Sirika, stated that only N5 billion was approved and N3 billion was actually released.

Sirika clarified that the N3 billion released during his tenure was not fully utilized before he left office. He emphasized that the total budget for the national carrier from 2016 to 2023 was N5 billion, and only a portion of that amount was disbursed.

The funds that were released were primarily used for transaction advisory services, the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) process, salaries, consultancy services, and the establishment of offices in Abuja. It is important to note that no contracts were awarded by Hadi Sirika or his administration during that time.

These were the specific areas where the allocated funds were utilized, and no evidence suggests that any fraudulent contracts were awarded or misappropriation of funds occurred.

Sirika provided this clarification to address the allegations and ensure transparency regarding the utilization of the funds for the Nigeria Air project.