How Hadi Sirika allegedly awarded ₦3b unexecuted aviation contracts to his brother

On Monday, February 5, 2024, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) interrogated Abubakar Ahmad Sirika over an alleged ₦8.06 billion contract fraud in the Federal Ministry of Aviation, TheNation reports.

The immediate-past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika was reported to have awarded some contracts to his brother, who was arrested on Sunday, February 4, 2024, as part of the investigation into the alleged fraudulent practices perpetuated during Sirika’s leadership of the ministry.

According to TheNation, about ₦3, 212,258,930.18 has been traced to Engirios Nigeria Limited, a company owned by Abubakar, who is said to be a level-16 officer and deputy director in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

It is reported that four contracts were awarded to Abubakar when his brother was in charge of the Ministry of Aviation.

The EFCC has found out that Sirika’s brother is listed as the company’s Managing Director (MD)/Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The commission’s investigators also discovered that Abubakar is the sole signatory to the two accounts linked to the company with two banks.

The four contracts Sirika reportedly awarded to his brother are:

• Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre in Katsina Airport (₦3, 811,497,685.00)
• Procurement and installation of elevators, air conditioners and power generator house in Aviation House, Abuja (₦615,195,275.000)
• Procurement of Magnus Aircraft and simulator for Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria (₦2, 296,897, 404.00).
• Construction of the Terminal Building in Katsina Airport (₦1,345,586,500.00).

An anonymous EFCC official, who spoke to the newspaper disclosed that none of the aviation contracts awarded to Abubakar was executed.

The source was quoted as saying, “In connection with the ongoing probe of the Ministry of Aviation during Hadi Sirika’s tenure, EFCC’s crack team was able to uncover four contracts, worth about ₦8,069,176,864.00, which were not executed.

“The sum was for four aviation contracts from the former minister to Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by his sibling.

“While profiling the contracts, there was a payment of ₦3,212,258,930.18 out of the total contract sum to Engirios Nigeria Limited, which is owned by the younger brother of the ex-Minister of Aviation.

“Apart from being listed as the company’s MD/CEO, Abubakar is the sole signatory to the company’s two accounts.”

Upon the receipt of the payment, the source said Abubakar transferred the monies to different companies and individuals, adding that no work was done.

“He was grilled for several hours yesterday. He is providing the commission with additional useful information on the financial activities of the Aviation Ministry under the supervision of his elder brother,” the source said.

The Nation reports that the four contracts were awarded between August 2022 and May 2023.