The twelfth prosecution witness in the trial of former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, testified on Wednesday before Justice S. C. Oriji at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.
NewsBits reports that the witness detailed how Sirika purportedly misrepresented an aircraft owned by Ethiopian Airlines as the government-promised Nigeria Air under the late President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, reported that the ‘decoy aircraft, featuring the livery of the anticipated Nigeria Air,’ arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on May 27, 2023, just three days before the conclusion of Buhari’s term in office.
The agency further indicated that the aircraft was returned to Addis Ababa on the morning of May 29, 2023, coinciding with the transition to the new government.
Hadi Sirika is currently facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on six amended charges related to alleged abuse of office and the misappropriation of public funds exceeding N2 billion, alongside his daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika, his son-in-law, Hamma Jalal Sule, and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited.
According to the EFCC statement, which was partially authored by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the contract for establishing Nigeria Air was awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited, owned by Gabriel Tilmann, a close associate and friend of the former minister.
The witness, an investigator with the EFCC, cited a section of the contract agreement with Ethiopian Airlines, stating, ‘The aircraft will depart from Addis Ababa, ADD, late in the evening of May 26, 2023, to ensure its arrival at Abuja, ABV, airport early on the morning of May 27, 2023.
The aircraft is scheduled to remain at ABV airport for a static display of the Nigeria Air livery until May 28, 2023, and will depart ABV airport early on May 29, 2023. The chartered flight will be operated by the Ethiopian Airlines crew dressed in Ethiopian Airlines uniforms.
The Federal Government of Nigeria, along with Nigeria Air, may arrange for local models to don Nigeria Air uniforms for ceremonial photographs. These models might travel to Addis Ababa to board a chartered flight to ABV.
As per the statement, the witness informed the court that the exhibition of the aircraft at Abuja International Airport was “intentionally scheduled to align with the conclusion of the first defendant’s term as Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development on May 29, 2023, and to present the aircraft as a fulfillment of his commitment to the revival of Nigeria Air.”
Following the brief display of the aircraft, which lasted less than 72 hours, the prosecution witness indicated that the Nigeria Air logo was removed from the aircraft before it was returned to Ethiopian Airlines in Addis Ababa.
The witness also revealed that the investigative team was able to confirm that Ethiopian Airlines had entered into a charter agreement for the static display of the Nigeria Air branding for a period of merely three days, from May 27 to May 29, 2023, based on information and documents obtained from the airline after receiving a letter dated June 12, 2023, in reply to the EFCC’s inquiry regarding Nigeria Air.
Although the contract aimed to establish Nigeria Air, the charter agreement with Ethiopian Airlines was finalized on May 24, 2023, just five days before the defendant’s term ended, solely for the static display of the Nigeria Air logo on an aircraft.
“All documents presented as evidence by the prosecution were confirmed to be properly signed, authorized, and accompanied by identification certificates, and none of the counsels for the four defendants raised any objections,” stated the EFCC in their announcement.
It was further indicated that among the pieces of evidence was a compact disc featuring a voice note from the first defendant, Hadi Sirika, designated as Exhibit 37, which the prosecution counsel requested to be played in court at the next adjourned date.
Additionally, during his testimony, the witness informed the court that although the contract for the establishment of Nigeria Air, awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited for over N299 million on April 4, 2022, received a contract extension on October 17, 2022, amounting to over N599 million, this was done under the instructions and directives of the first defendant, due to his connection with the company’s alter ego.
“He stated, “The investigative team reached this conclusion after analyzing the phone of one Enitan Muyiwa Abel, who served as a Permanent Secretary in the first defendant’s ministry, which revealed a voice note sent to the Permanent Secretary while the first defendant was in Spain, directing him to ensure that the contract was awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited.” Justice Oriji adjourned the case until June 17, 2026, for the continuation of the trial.
