EFCC Witness Alleges Sirika Breached Procurement Process in Nigeria Air Consultancy Contracts
EFCC Witness Alleges Sirika Breached Procurement Process in Nigeria Air Consultancy Contracts
EFCC Witness Alleges Sirika Breached Procurement Process in Nigeria Air Consultancy Contracts
The trial of former Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, continued on Wednesday before Justice S.C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, with a prosecution witness alleging that due process was violated in the award of consultancy contracts linked to the Nigeria Air project.
Sirika is facing trial alongside his daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika, his son-in-law, Hamma Jalal Sule, and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited on an amended six-count charge bordering on alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds amounting to more than N2 billion.
Testifying as the 12th prosecution witness, EFCC investigator Christopher Odofin told the court that Sirika awarded a N299 million consultancy contract to Tianaero Nigeria Limited for services relating to Nigeria Air and later approved an additional N599 million contract extension for the same company.
According to the witness, investigations revealed that the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development requested a Certificate of No Objection from the Bureau of Public Procurement on March 7, 2022. However, the ministry allegedly awarded the consultancy contract to Tianaero Nigeria Limited on April 4, 2022, before receiving the bureau’s response.
Odofin told the court that the BPP’s response was dated April 6, 2022, and officially received by the ministry on April 7, 2022, three days after the contract award letter had already been issued.
He further alleged that while the BPP was eventually informed about the initial consultancy arrangement, the bureau was not consulted regarding the subsequent N599 million contract extension awarded to the same company.
The witness stated that Tianaero Nigeria Limited is owned by German national Gabriel Tilmann, whom he described as a close associate and friend of the former minister.
Odofin also testified that the full contract sums were paid to the company despite the absence of a functioning national carrier. He explained that the initial N299 million contract was paid in four tranches between May and July 2022 into the company’s Access Bank account, while the N599 million extension was paid in two instalments between October and December 2022 through its Guaranty Trust Bank account.
The witness further informed the court that Tianaero Nigeria Limited had been incorporated by the Corporate Affairs Commission on March 29, 2021, less than a year before it received the consultancy contracts.
Proceedings were also expected to feature the playback of a compact disc allegedly containing verbal instructions from Sirika directing ministry officials to ensure the contracts were awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited. However, the recording was not played due to technical difficulties and was deferred to the next hearing date.
Justice Oriji subsequently adjourned the case until July 8 and 9, 2026, for continuation of trial.
EFCC Witness Alleges Sirika Breached Procurement Process in Nigeria Air Consultancy Contracts
