The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, nabbed the former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, in relation to its investigations into an alleged $15,000,000 money laundering case.
According to the Punch Newspaper, on Tuesday around 1:00 pm, the involved ex-Minister visited EFCC’s Federal Capital Territory Command.
At the agency’s headquarters in Abuja, this reporter observed how the fallen former minister entered through its Wuse office located on Ahmed Bello way.
Once he arrived there, Sirika had talks with EFCC staff and responded to questions about his alleged corrupt approval of fake contracts for **Engirios Nigeria Limited**, a company owned by his immediate sibling Abubakar Sirika.
These incidents were confirmed by reliable sources who did not want their names disclosed because they are not authorized to speak in public on behalf of the anti-fraud unit on Tuesday,
One informant revealed that Hadi Sirika is now detained at “our FCT Detention. He is discussing with detectives over there issues connected with suspicious deals relating to the aviation ministry worth N8,069,176,864.00.”
Another informer has said that these bribes were engineered together with his business brother Abubakar’s company.
Reports had emerged in February that EFCC was investigating Sirika’s tenure as Aviation Minister on possible conspiracy, abuse of office and public trust, misappropriation of public funds and over-inflating contract prices.
A very reliable source said that the commission has been looking into the activities of the ministry in relation to similar offences including criminal breach of trust and laundering a total sum of N8,069.176,864.00 under Sirika’s administration.
This amount is for four aviation contracts awarded by the former minister to Engirios Nigeria Limited which is owned by Abubakar Sirika.
Zenith Bank Plc and Union Bank Plc are where all accounts for this company are domiciled and have Mr. Abubakar as their sole signatory
Subsequent investigations indicate that Abubakar sirika has been arrested and is currently in custody of the EFCC after making a payment of N3,212,258.930.18 to Engirios Nigerian Limited in favor of his predecessor. There is no record so far indicating any job done on any one of them till date.
Mr. Abubakar Sirika, who was detained since Sunday 4th February has been cooperating with the commission during its interrogation into financial transactions around Sirika’s era at the Aviation Ministry.
An EFCC investigator said: “We are now looking in a matter of a N8,069,176,864.00 money laundering case that is connected to the former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika. He deliberately gave contracts to his relative Abubakar who also happens to be a civil servant at Level 16 and Deputy Director in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources since 2000.
“The first contract signed by this former minister with Engirios Nigeria Limited was on August 18th, 2022 for building Terminal Building at Katsina Airport for an estimated cost of N1, 345,586,500.00. The second one dated November 3rd, 2022 concern the setting up of Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre at Katsina Airport at a value of N3,811,497,685.00.
“The other contract was approved on February 3rd ,2023 and it involves procurement and installation of elevators; air conditioner systems including generator house located within Abuja aviation house worth N615195275. The recent most contract that was done on May5th ,2023 involved the purchase of Magnus aircrafts as well as simulator for Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria costing N2296897404.
“None have been completed among all these items which are part from the whole sum disbursed through them.”