A witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has revealed how former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, awarded a multi-billion-naira contract to a company linked to his daughter and son-in-law, despite no work being done.
Sirika, his daughter Fatima, her husband Jalal Sule Hamma, and their company, Al Buraq Global Investment Ltd, were arraigned on May 9 before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama.
The EFCC accuses Sirika of abuse of office by awarding contracts to a company in which his close family members have vested interests.
Testifying on Tuesday as the 12th prosecution witness, EFCC investigator Christopher Odofin told the court that a contract for the terminal building and apron expansion at Katsina Airport—designated as a single project by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP)—was unlawfully split into two by Sirika.
According to Odofin, one part was awarded to Enginos Nigeria Limited for N1.3 billion, and the other to Al Buraq Global Investment Ltd for N1.4 billion. Despite being public servants, Fatima and Jalal reportedly own equal shares in Al Buraq, with Fatima serving as company secretary.
“While both are public servants, they incorporated and jointly owned Al Buraq, using it to secure government contracts from the aviation ministry where the second defendant’s father was the minister,” the witness stated.
Odofin told the court that on November 14, 2022, the aviation ministry under Sirika’s leadership paid N1.3 billion—representing 100% of the contract sum—to the Zenith Bank account of Al Buraq, solely based on Sirika’s ministerial approval.
He detailed how large sums were immediately disbursed from the company’s account:
- N182 million was transferred on various dates to Jalal’s account
- N110 million was moved into his fixed deposit account
- N7.4 million went into Fatima’s Jaiz Bank personal account
- N8.2 million was paid into Jalal’s Access Bank salary account
- N500 million was transferred to Trimak Engineering Services Ltd, unrelated to the apron contract
Odofin said the N500 million was instead used for another government contract awarded to Trimak by a different agency.
He further testified that over N549 million from the original contract payment remains in the company’s account, now under an interim forfeiture order. He also noted additional transfers to individuals and companies unconnected to the contract.
When asked about the status of the Katsina Airport apron expansion project, the investigator replied, “Nothing has been done.”
Meanwhile, presiding judge Justice Sylvanus Oriji ordered a trial-within-a-trial to determine the voluntariness of the statements made by the second and third defendants during EFCC interrogation. This followed objections from the defence counsel when the prosecution attempted to tender those statements.
The case was adjourned to October 27 for the trial-within-a-trial.
