Alleged N2.8b Fraud: Sirika Awarded Contract to Unqualified Company – Witness

The trial of former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, continued on Monday, January 27, 2025, with new developments in the alleged N2.8 billion contract fraud case. During the proceedings at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, the Fifth Prosecution Witness (PW5), Musa Odiniyan, made significant revelations about the awarding of a contract for the repairs of Katsina Airport by the Ministry of Aviation under Sirika’s leadership.

Odiniyan, a retired director from the Ministry of Aviation’s Procurement Department, informed the court that the company, Al Buraq Global Investment, which was awarded the contract, was not qualified for the project. The case, being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), involves Sirika and three others: Fatima Hadi Sirika, Jalal Sule Hamma, and Al Buraq Global Investment. They are facing six amended charges of contract fraud totaling N2,825,032,220.97 (approximately N2.8 billion).

During cross-examination by counsel for the fourth defendant, Michael Numa, SAN, Odiniyan emphasized that if the bidding process had been open and competitive, Al Buraq Global Investment would not have met the necessary criteria to win the contract. He stated, “We use some criteria for determining the award of contracts for companies. I still maintain that if it was an open competitive bidding, the company Al Buraq may not have qualified.”

Furthermore, the witness clarified that the reason for making the payment was to ensure the timely completion and commissioning of the Katsina Airport project before the departure of former President Muhammadu Buhari from office. According to Odiniyan, the N800 million payment was part of the project’s budgetary allowance and was meant to ensure the project’s completion before Buhari’s tenure ended, not for any variation in the contract.

Odiniyan also highlighted an issue regarding the budget codes used for two contracts awarded to Al Buraq and Enginos for the apron and terminal building of the Katsina Airport. He noted that while the contracts were initially under separate budget codes, they appeared under a single code in the Ministry’s Procurement Department, raising further concerns about the transparency of the contract award process.

Justice S. C. Oriji adjourned the case to March 10, 2025, for the continuation of cross-examination, as the trial continues to unfold.