Alleged N19.4bn Fraud: Sirika, Brother Plead Not Guilty

A former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika; his brother, Ahmad Sirika; and a firm, Enginos Nigeria Limited, have been arraigned on a fresh ten-count charge before Justice Suleman Belgore of the the FCT High Court sitting in Garki, Abuja

In the new charge, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission accused Sirika, his brother, and Enginos of a N19.4 billion airport contract fraud.

At the reading of the charge to the defendants, they all pleaded not guilty.

The fresh 10-count charges read:

COUNT 1
That you HADI ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, while being the Minister of Aviation, on or about 18 August, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon ENGINOS NIGERIA LIMITED whose alter ego, AHMAD ABUBAKAR SIRIKA is your biological brother, by using your position to influence the award to them, the contract for the construction of a Terminal Building at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,345,586,500.00 (One Billion, Three Hundred and Forty Five Million, Five Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand, Five Hundred Naira Only) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.

COUNT 2
That you HADI ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, while being Minister of Aviation, on or about 3″ November, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon ENGINOS NIGERIA LIMITED whose alter ego, AHMAD ABUBAKAR SIRIKA is your blood brother, by using your position to influence the award to them, the contract for the establishment of Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre at Katsina Airport for the sum of N3,811,497,685.00 (Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Eleven Million, Four Hundred and Ninety Seven Thousand, Six Hundred and Eighty Five Naira Only) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.

COUNT 3
That you HADI ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, while being Minister of Aviation, on or about 5* May 2023, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon ENGINOS NIGERIA LIMITED whose alter ego, AHMAD ABUBAKAR SIRIKA is your blood brother, by using your position to influence the award to them, the contract for the Procurement and Installation of Lift and Air Conditioners and Power Generators for Aviation House, bundred and Ninely Five Thousand, Two Hundred and Fifteen Mition, are Abuja for the sum of N615,195,275.00 (Six Hundred and Fifteen Million, One Only) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.

COUNT 4
That you AHMAD ABUBAKAR SIRIKA and ENGINOS NIGERIA LIMITED between August, 2022 and May, 2023 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, had possession of an aggregate sum of N2,337, 840,674.16 (Two Billion, Three Hundred and Thirty-Seven Million, Eight Hundred and Forty Thousand, Six Hundred and Seventy-Four Naira, Sixteen kobo) which sum you knew indirectly represented the proceeds of criminal conducts of HADI ABUBAKAR SIRIKA who was the Minister of Aviation at the time (to wit use of office or position for gratification in respect of the said amount), and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17 (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under the
same section.

COUNT 5
That you HADI ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, while being the Minister of Aviation and in such capacity as a public officer on or about 18 August, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with certain property to wit, the sum of N1,345,586,500.00 (One Billion, Three Hundred and Forty Five Million, Five Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand, Five Hundred Naira Only), committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by being dishonestly connected with the illegal award of contract for the construction of a Terminal Building at Katsina Airport. to and for the benefit of ENGINOS NIGERIA LIMITED whose alter ego is AHMAD ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, your biological brother and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap. 532, Acts of the Federal Capital Territory and punishable under the same section.

COUNT 6
That you HADI ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, while being the Minister of Aviation and in such capacity as a públic officer on or about 3” November, 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with certain property to wit, the sum of N3,811,497,685.00 (Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Eleven Million, Four Hundred and Ninety Seven Thousand, Six Hundred and Eighty Five Naira Only), committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by being dishonestly connected with the illegal award of contract for the establishment of Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre at Katsina Airport, to and for the benefit of ENGINOS NIGERIA LIMITED whose alter ego is AHMAD ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, your biological brother and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap. 532, Acts of the Federal Capital Territory and punishable under the same section.

COUNT 7
That you HADI ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, while being the Minister of Aviation and in such capacity as a public officer on or about 5″ May 2023, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with certain property to wit, the sum of N615,195,275.00 (Six Hundred and Fifteen Million, One Hundred and Ninety Five Thousand, Two Hundred and Seventy Five Naira Only), committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by being dishonestly connected with the illegal award of contract for the Procurement and Installation of Lift and Air Conditioners and Power Generators for Aviation House, Abuja, to and for the benefit of ENGINOS NIGERIA LIMITED whose alter ego is AHMAD ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, your biological brother and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap. 532, Acts of the Federal Capital Territory and punishable under the same section.

COUNT 8
That you HAD ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, while being the Minister of Aviation and
AHMAD ABUBAKAR SIRIKA while being a public servant and an employee of Federal Ministry of Water Resources August, 2022 and May, 2023, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly hold indirectly private interests in three aviation contracts in the aggregate sum of N5,772,279,460.00 (Five Billion, Seven Hundred and Seventy-Two Million, Two Hundred and Seventy-Nine Thousand, Four Hundred and Sixty Naira Only) awarded to ENGINOS NIGERIA LIMITED whose alter ego is AHMAD ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, your biological brother, which contract was awarded on account of public service and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.

COUNT 9
That you AHMAD ABUBAKAR SIRIKA and SAMAHAH INTEGRATED INVESTMENTS LIMITED between June, 2022 and October, 2023 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, had possession of an aggregate sum of N29,975,113.55 (Twenty-Nine Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand, One Hundred and Thirteen Naira, Fifty-five kobo) which sum you
TIANAERO NIGERIA LIMITED and you knew indirectly received from, represented the proceeds of criminal conducts of HAD ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, your biological brother who was the Minister of Aviation (to wit: use of office or position for gratification in respect of the said amount), and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 17 (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004 and punishable under the same section.

COUNT 10
That you AHMAD ABUBAKAR SIRIKA while being a public servant and an employee of Federal Ministry of Water Resources and SAMAHAH INTEGRATED INVESTMENTS LIMITED between June, 2022 and October, 2023 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did corruptly receive an aggregate sum Of N29,975, 113.55 (Twenty-Nine Million, Nine Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand, One Hundred and Thirteen Naira, Fifty-five kobo) from TIANAERO NIGERIA LIMITED, a company awarded a Consultancy contract for the Nigerian Air Start-up and extension of same for the sum of N1,326,731,470.97 (One Billion, Three Hundred and Twenty Six Million, Seven Hundred and Thirty One Thousand, Four Hundred and Seventy Naira, Ninety seven kobo Only) by the Ministry of Aviation when HADI ABUBAKAR SIRIKA, your biological brother was the Minister of Aviation and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 8 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.