The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will today arraign a former Minister of Aviation, Captain Hadi Sirika, on fresh charges of fraudulent awards of contracts worth billions of naira.
The anti-corruption agency had arraigned the former minister alongside his daughter, Fatima, and her husband, on charges of abuse of office in awarding some contracts last week.
Sirika was accused of abusing his office as a minister through the award of contracts to a company in which his daughter and her husband had an interest.
The trio pleaded not guilty to all six counts preferred against them before a judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, Sylvanus Oriji.
The EFCC will similarly arraign him today before another judge of the FCT High Court in Garki, Abuja, S.B Belgore. There are 18 counts in the fresh case, according to top officials of the commission who spoke to Premium Times.
Sirika is charged in the case alongside his brother Ahmad Abubakar. Also joined with them as a co-defendant is Abubakar’s firm, Enginos Nigeria Limited, which was allegedly awarded the contracts.
Sources say the contracts were cumulatively worth N14 billion.
