Ex-Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika not signatory to N599M consultancy contract —- EFCC witness
An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness, Christopher Odifin, has admitted before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja that former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, did not sign the documents relating to the award of a disputed ₦599 million consultancy contract by the Federal Ministry of Aviation.
Odifin also acknowledged that the contract documents presented before the court did not, on their face, establish Sirika’s direct involvement in the award process.
The witness made the admissions on Thursday during cross-examination by Sirika’s counsel, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Kanu Agabi, SAN, at the resumed hearing of the former minister’s trial before Justice Sylvanus Oriji.
Sirika is standing trial alongside his daughter, Fatima, his son-in-law, Hamma Jalal Sule, and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited over alleged abuse of office and contract fraud involving approximately ₦2.8 billion.
During cross-examination, Odifin confirmed that the letter awarding the disputed consultancy contract was not signed by Sirika.
He further admitted that the former minister was not a member of the Ministerial Tenders Board responsible for the contract award.
When confronted with documents tendered by the EFCC, the witness acknowledged that nothing on the face of the contract award documents indicated that the ministry’s Director of Procurement, who signed the relevant papers, lacked the authority to do so.
However, Odifin maintained that the prosecution’s case against Sirika was based on an alleged oral instruction concerning the ₦599 million contract, which he said exceeded the applicable approval threshold.
He alleged that the contract was awarded to an associate of the former minister.
The witness’s admissions concerning the documents did not amount to a withdrawal of the EFCC’s allegations, which remain subject to judicial determination.
Further questions by Agabi focused on electronic evidence allegedly obtained from the mobile telephone of the former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation, Abel Enitan.
Odifin admitted that the telephone from which a voice recording was reportedly extracted had not been produced before the court.
He also acknowledged that he had no evidence showing that the extracted recording was served on the owner of the telephone.
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On the conduct of the investigation, the witness confirmed that the EFCC had completed its investigation by April 26, 2024, when charges were filed against the defendants.
He, however, said he was unaware of the circumstances surrounding the filing of additional proofs of evidence by the prosecution after the commencement of proceedings.
Odifin equally stated that he could not explain how the number of prosecution witnesses increased from 11 in the initial proof of evidence to 20.
During further cross-examination by Efut Okoi, counsel to the second defendant, the EFCC witness admitted that Sirika’s daughter, Fatima, was not the Chief Executive Officer of Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, the company linked to the contract for the expansion of the apron at Katsina Airport.
He also confirmed that the digital forensic report relied upon in filing the charges was prepared by another investigator, Bello Gideon, and not by him.
Odifin told the court that he did not personally obtain extrajudicial statements from officers of the Nigerian Air Force, the relevant airport authorities or the Katsina State Government concerning the Katsina Airport apron expansion project.
The witness further confirmed that Abel Enitan was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and Chairman of the Ministerial Tenders Board at the time the apron expansion contract was awarded to Al Buraq Global Investment Limited.
The EFCC had accused Sirika of using his position as Minister of Aviation to confer an unfair advantage on Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, a company allegedly associated with his family.
Among the disputed transactions is a contract valued at ₦1,498,300,750 for the extension of the apron at Katsina Airport.
The prosecution alleged that the former minister improperly influenced the award of the contract, alongside other transactions forming the basis of the six-count charge.
According to the EFCC, the alleged offences contravened Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000; Section 17(b) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004; and Section 315 of the Penal Code Act applicable in the Federal Capital Territory.
Sirika and his co-defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Following Thursday’s proceedings, Justice Oriji adjourned the matter until October 20 and 28, 2026, for the continuation of the witness’s cross-examination.
The trial continues as the court examines the prosecution’s documentary and electronic evidence, the circumstances surrounding the disputed contract awards and the extent of the defendants’ alleged involvement.
By PRNigeria
