By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Hadi Sirika, a former Nigerian Minister who served in the Aviation Ministry under immediate-past President Muhammadu Buhari, has been arrested by anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with an ongoing N8 billion money laundering probe of Nigeria Air.
He was arrested at about 1pm on Tuesday in Abuja, the nation’s capital and taken to the FCT command of the EFCC.
He is being quizzed by the agency’s investigators over alleged fraudulent contracts awarded by him to a company known as Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by his younger sibling, Abubakar Sirika.
Recall that, in February, EFCC investigated the activities of the Aviation Ministry under Sirika for conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds, and contract inflation.
“Sirika is currently meeting with EFCC investigators to answer questions on alleged fraudulent contracts awarded by him to a company known as Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by his younger sibling, Abubakar Sirika, a source quoted by Punch newspaper noted.
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“He is currently meeting with EFCC investigators over the alleged N8,069,176,864.00 aviation ministry contract fraud,” it added.
Apart from being listed as the company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Abubakar is said to be the sole signatory to the company’s two accounts, domiciled in Zenith and Union Banks.
It was gathered that the ex-minister’s younger brother, Abubakar Sirika, has been arrested and detained by the commission in connection with N3,212,258,930.18 paid to his company, Engirios Nigerian Limited’s, bank account by the former minister.
It was noted that there is no trace of work done on any of the contract items to date.
