More Trouble For Buhari’s Nephew As EFCC Digs Deeper Into N80.6bn Fraud Allegations

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has quizzed Abubakar Ahmad Sirika, a brother of Hadi Sirika, former minister of aviation and arguably one of the most influential persons in the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

GWG.ng reports that Hadi Sirika, a former senator, is also a nephew of the former president and is famously or infamosuly known for masterminding the controversial Nigeria Air project that has now been generally reported as a scam.

GWG learnt that EFCC quizzed Abubakar Ahmad Sirika, who is a brother of the immediate-past Minister of Aviation, on Sunday.

Recall that the embattled former cabinet member is believed to have awarded the contract to his sibling. The commission arrested Abubakar on Sunday over its probe of alleged fraudulent practices in the Ministry of Aviation during the tenure of the ex-minister.

EFCC is probing allegations of conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds, contract inflation, criminal breach of trust, and money laundering.

Of the contract sum, about N3,212,258,930.18 has been traced to Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by Abubakar, a Level-16 officer and a deputy director in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

According to The Nation, four big contracts were awarded to Abubakar’s Engirios Nigeria Limited when his brother was in charge of the ministry.

EFCC investigators discovered that Abubakar Sirika is listed as the company’s Managing Director (MD)/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the sole signatory to the two accounts linked to the firm with two banks.

The four contracts the ex-minister awarded to his brother were:

• Construction of the Terminal Building in Katsina Airport (N1,345,586,500.00);

Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre in Katsina Airport (N3, 811,497,685.00);

• Procurement and installation of elevators, air conditioners, and power generator house in Aviation House, Abuja (N615,195,275.000);

• Procurement of Magnus Aircraft and simulator for Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria (N2, 296,897, 404.00)

Also, In connection with the ongoing probe of the Ministry of Aviation during Hadi Sirika’s tenure, EFCC’s crack team was able to uncover four contracts, worth about N8,069,176,864.00, which were not executed.

“The sum was for four aviation contracts from the former minister to Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by his sibling.

“While profiling the contracts, there was a payment of N3,212,258,930.18 out of the total contract sum to Engirios Nigeria Limited, which is owned by the younger brother of the ex-Minister of Aviation.”

Apart from being listed as the company’s MD/CEO, Abubakar is the sole signatory to the company’s two accounts.

“Investigators further discovered that upon the receipt of the payment, Abubakar allegedly transferred it to different companies and individuals. There is no trace of work done on any of the contract items to date.

“The fourth was awarded on May 5, 2023, bearly 24 days to the end of the Buhari Administration tenure, for the procurement of Magnus Aircraft and simulator for Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria.”

GWG gathered that the EFCC is also investigating the Nigeria Air controversy. There was also controversy about how much was released for the Nigeria Air project.

The first of the controversial contracts awarded to Engirios Nigeria Limited was on August 18, 2022, for the construction of the Terminal Building in Katsina Airport.

“The second was awarded on November 3, 2022, for the establishment of the Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre in Katsina Airport.

“The third contract was on February 3, 2023, for the procurement and installation of elevators, air conditioners, and power generator’s house in Aviation House, Abuja.

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