In a significant development, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has apprehended Abubakar Ahmad Sirika, brother of Hadi Sirika, the former Aviation Minister, on allegations of contract fraud within the aviation ministry.
Abubakar was taken into custody by the anti-graft agency on Sunday, February 4, following an extensive investigation into irregularities within the aviation ministry during his brother’s tenure.
The charges against Abubakar Sirika include conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds, contract inflation, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering, amounting to a staggering N8,069,176,864.
The EFCC revealed that the funds in question are linked to four aviation contracts awarded by the former minister to a company named Engirios Nigeria Limited, which is owned by his younger brother.
Additionally, it has been disclosed that Abubakar, designated as the MD/CEO of Engirios Nigeria Limited, is the sole signatory to its two bank accounts maintained in Zenith and Union banks.
The investigation further unveiled that Sirika awarded these contracts to his brother, despite being fully aware of Abubakar’s position as a civil servant serving as a deputy director on Level 16 at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources since 2000.
The contracts in question are as follows:
Construction of a Terminal Building at Katsina Airport – N1,345,586,500
Establishment of Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre in Katsina Airport – N3.8 billion; Procurement and installation of lifts, air conditioners, and a power generator’s house at Aviation House in Abuja – N615 million;
Procurement of Magnus Aircraft and a simulator for the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology in Zaria – N2.2 billion.
Despite the disbursal of N3.2 billion to Engirios Nigerian Limited, no tangible evidence of work carried out on the contracted items has been presented thus far.
Abubakar Sirika is currently in EFCC custody, providing additional information regarding the financial transactions of the ministry, all under the supervision of his older brother, Hadi Sirika.
