By Ken Afor
A High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has granted bail of N100 million each to Mr. Hadi Sirika, the immediate past Minister of Aviation, and his daughter, Fatima.
Sirika, along with his daughter and another suspect, Jalal Hamma, along with a company, Al-Duraq Investment Ltd, were arraigned before Justice Sylvanus Oriji.
They were accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of an alleged contract fraud amounting to N2.7 billion.
The New Diplomat reports that the anti-graft agency accused Sirika of allegedly using his office to fraudulently award contracts to a company known as Engirios Nigeria Limited, allegedly owned by his younger sibling, Abubakar Sirika.
As per the bail conditions, the court stipulated that each defendant must provide two sureties with landed properties in Abuja. These sureties, who must be responsible citizens, are required to depose to an affidavit of means.
Furthermore, the court restricted the defendants from traveling abroad without explicit permission. It also ruled that if the defendants fail to meet the bail conditions, they will be remanded in prison.
It would be recalled that in April, the former Aviation Minister was arrested by the EFCC and detained for days.
During his detention, Sirika was said to have been grilled over the failed Nigeria Air project, alleged misappropriation of public funds, and contract overpricing during his tenure as head of the aviation ministry.
Prior to his ministerial appointment under the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, Sirika served as a member of the House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007. He later became a senator representing Katsina North Senatorial District on the platform of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), which later merged into the All Progressives Congress in 2013.
