By Abiola Olawale
The woes of the immediate-past minister of Aviation continue to persist as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reportedly filed a fresh N19.4bn lawsuit against him, his brother, Ahmad Sirika; and his company – Enginos Nigeria Limited.
According to reports, the anti-graft agency said the alleged N19 billion fraud is the total sum of Aviation contracts allegedly signed by Sirika and awarded to his younger brother, Abubakar.
The New Diplomat reports that Sirika had been arraigned for N2.7bn fraud before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja.
He was arraigned on a six count charge alongside his daughter, Fatimah; brother-in-law, Jalal Hamma, and Al-Buraq Investment Ltd.
The defendants pleaded not guilty while Justice Sylvanus Oriji granted them N100m bail each, with the condition that they must not travel out of the country until the end of the criminal case.
However, an insider source who spoke with members of the press on condition of anonymity said the EFCC had filed a second charge against the former minister before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday.
In a copy of the purported fresh charges, the EFCC alleged that Sirika, “while being the Minister of Aviation, on or about 18th August 2022, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did use your position to confer an 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 him, the contract for the construction of a terminal building at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,345,586,500.00.”
Sirika was alleged to have violated Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.
In another count, the EFCC alleged that “on or about 3rd of November, 2022, in Abuja,” Sirika used his 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 him, the contract for the establishment of Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre at Katsina Airport for the sum of N3,811,497,685.00.”
In another count, he was accused of corruptly awarding a N615,195,275.00 contract to his brother for the procurement and installation of lift and air conditioners and power generators for the Aviation House in Abuja.
Meanwhile, the former minister, who was billed to appear before the presiding judge, Justice Suleiman Belgore, at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Garki, in Abuja, on Tuesday was absent, thereby stalling Court proceedings.
