The arrest of former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been confirmed.
Sirika’s arrest is linked to an ongoing investigation into allegations of money laundering amounting to N8,069,176,864.00.
He is under interrogation regarding suspected fraudulent contracts awarded to Engirios Nigeria Limited, a company owned by his younger brother, Abubakar Sirika, according to EFCC sources cited by The PUNCH.
In January, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed the EFCC’s probe into the contentious Nigeria Air deal initiated during Sirika’s tenure as aviation minister under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Keyamo stated, “The EFCC is actively investigating that transaction. It’s a criminal investigation. I have requested a status report.”
SaharaReporters previously revealed in May 2023 that the aircraft presented by then-President Buhari shortly before leaving office was over a decade old and belonged to Ethiopian Airlines. Plane Spotters identified its Mode as S Q4005C and Serial Number as 40965/4075.
The Concerned Northern Forum criticized the “Nigeria Air” launch as a flawed project driven by falsehoods, deceit, and corruption involving billions of naira.
Furthermore, the current aviation minister clarified that the administration led by Bola Tinubu had no intentions of revitalizing any domestic airline to serve as the national carrier, affirming plans to establish a suitable national carrier instead.