Former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, and his daughter, Fatima, have appeared in court in Abuja, Nigeria, facing charges related to an alleged N2.7bn fraud linked to the Nigerian Air project.
The charges, brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accuse Sirika of using his position to confer undue advantage on entities in Abuja between April 2022 and March 2023. Specifically, he is accused of awarding a N1.3bn consultancy contract for the Nigerian Air Start-up to a company called Tianero Nigeria Limited.
Alongside his daughter, Fatima, and son-in-law, Jalal Sule Hamma, Sirika faces accusations of awarding contracts to companies connected to his family members, including a project to build an airport extension in Katsina.
All three defendants have pleaded not guilty to the six charges filed against them and have been granted bail, each with a bond of 100 million naira (approximately $70,000 USD).
The case is set to resume on 10 June, as part of ongoing efforts to address corruption in Nigeria under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, which began in May 2023.
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