On Thursday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is scheduled to arraign Hadi Sirika, the former Minister of Aviation, before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama.
A six-count revised accusation would be brought against Sirika, a minister in the previous president Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet. Along with three other people, namely his daughter Fatima, Jalal Hamma, and Al-Duraq Investment Ltd., he will be charged with N2.7 billion worth of office abuse.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the former minister was held in Abuja on April 23 as part of the EFCC’s investigation into financial misconduct, including bogus contracts given by the ministry under his supervision.
After receiving an invitation from the Commission’s Abuja Zonal Command on the purported contract malfeasance, Sirika was immediately taken into custody and subjected to questioning at the Commission’s Formella Street, Wuse 2 Zonal headquarters.
“The former minister (Sirika) was invited for questioning by investigators handling the alleged contract frauds under his watch in the ministry. He honored the invitation and has been detained as I am talking with you,” a source in the EFCC who pleaded anonymity told NAN’’.
Additionally, according to the source, the minister met with investigators before his detention and the EFCC had been looking into the suspected contract frauds during his tenure.
According to NAN, the arraignment was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but a new date was assigned because of the EFCC’s request to modify the charge. (NAN)
