The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested a former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika. The former minister was arrested in connection with an ongoing investigation related to money laundering to the tune of N8,069,176,864.00.
Sirika is being grilled about alleged fraudulent contracts he authorised for a company called Engirios Nigeria Limited, which is owned by his younger sibling, Abubakar Sirika, as confirmed to The PUNCH by EFCC sources.
In January, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, revealed that the EFCC was investigating the controversial Nigeria Air deal sealed by Sirika.
Sirika was the aviation minister under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The minister said, “The EFCC is investigating that deal. There is a criminal investigation going on. I have called for the report.”
SaharaReporters in May 2023 reported that the plane unveiled by then-President Buhari a few days before he left office was over 10 years old and belonged to Ethiopian Airlines.
Plane Spotters, a platform which takes an inventory of aircraft, revealed its Mode was S Q4005C and its Serial Number was 40965/4075.
The Concerned Northern Forum had also called the “Nigeria Air” launch a half-baked project and claimed that it was driven by lies, deception and corruption amounting to billions of naira.
The current aviation minister also revealed that the Bola Tinubu government did not have any plan to rejig any local airline to become the national carrier.
He continued: “We will establish a proper national carrier.”
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