*Says Nothing To Show For Project
The 12th Prosecution Witness (PW12) in the ongoing trial of Hadi Sirika, a former Minister of Aviation, Christopher Odofin, has alleged that the former Minister violated due process in the N299 million contract he awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited for consultancy services of Nigeria Air.
Odofin, an investigator with the EFCC, also disclosed that Sirika violated due process in the payment of the additional N599 million contract he awarded to the same company for the contract extension, stressing that he ignored the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) totally with regards to the second contract award.
The witness, who stated this before Justice S.C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, explained that Sirika had completely awarded the first contrat to Tianaero Nigeria Limited for consultancy services for Nigeria Air before notifying the BPP.
Recall that Sirika is the first defendant facing prosecution by the EFCC on amended six-count charges bordering on abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of over N2 billion.
The former minister is being prosecuted alongside his daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika, son-in-law, Hamma Jalal Sule, and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited.
Speaking during the court proceedings, the investigator, in his testimony-in-chief disclosed that the first contract award letter of the company was dated April 4, 2022, while the second award letter was dated April 6, 2022.
He said, “Investigation into this case revealed that the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development wrote a letter to the Bureau of Public Procurement BPP, requesting a Certificate of No Objection to engage consultants in respect of the aforementioned contracts.
“My lord, this letter of request to BPP is dated 7th March 2022. Response to this request from the BPP is dated 6th April 2022 and the same response was received officially in the Ministry on the 7th April 2022, while the award of the contract to Tianaero, my lord is dated 4th April 2022.
“That is to say, my lord, that before the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development received a response from BPP, the contract award letter had already gone out to Tianaero Limited,” adding that the BPP was completely kept in the dark regarding the first defendant’s award of the contract extension.
Checks showed that Tianaero Nigeria Limited is owned by a German, Gabriel Tilmann, whom the witness said happens to be the former minister’s close friend and associate.
Giving further testimony, the witness revealed that both contract sums were paid in full to Tianaero Nigeria Limited, even as nothing is available to show as Nigeria Air.
The first contract, he said, was paid in four tranches, covering the period from May 1, 2022 to July 22, 2022 into the company’s Access Bank account while the second was paid off in two installments, covering the period between October and December 2022 into the Guaranty Trust Bank account of the company.
According to him, though the contractor company was registered in Nigeria, it was disclosed to have barely existed for one year when Sirika chose it as best fitting for the establishment of Nigeria’s national carrier.
The witness said, “My lord, it is important to also state that Tianaero Nigeria Limited was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission on the 29th March 2021, barely one year before these contracts were awarded to the company.”
During the proceedings, the EFCC investigator wanted to play a video contained in a compact disk to show where the former minister was giving verbal instruction to the permanent secretary in his ministry to the effect that he must ensure that the contracts were awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited.
But the judge directed that it should be deferred to the next adjourned date due to glitches. Justice Oriji adjourned the matter till July 8 and 9, 2026 for continuation of trial.