FORMER Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika has rejected widespread claims that the Nigeria Air project initiated under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was a scam, insisting that due process was followed throughout the process.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Tuesday monitored by News Point Nigeria, Sirika described allegations that he mismanaged over ₦100 billion on the controversial project as “false and mischievous.”
“It is a lie that I spent ₦100 billion and it is lost in the process. The total budget for the national carrier was ₦5 billion, the total amount released was ₦3 billion, and I left the ministry with over ₦1 billion,” the two-term minister said.
He explained that Nigeria Air was conceived as a public-private partnership (PPP) regulated by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), which he said issued relevant approvals and certificates of compliance.
The Nigeria Air project, unveiled in the final days of the Buhari government, was immediately dogged by controversy, with many industry stakeholders and civil society groups describing it as a sham and waste of public funds.
Domestic airlines, under the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), openly opposed the plan and dragged the Federal Government to court, arguing that the model undermined local carriers.
The unveiling of a chartered Ethiopian Airlines aircraft branded in Nigeria Air colours at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in May 2023, further fueled public criticism, with many dismissing it as a “cosmetic launch.”
Since leaving office in May 2023, Sirika has been facing trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of corruption and abuse of office.
The EFCC accused him of irregularly awarding multi-billion naira aviation contracts to companies linked to his family members, including his daughter, Fatima Sirika, and his son-in-law, Jalal Hamma.
Specifically, investigators alleged that a federal aviation contract worth ₦2.7 billion was split into smaller tranches to evade regulatory scrutiny and awarded to family-controlled companies.
One of such firms, Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, allegedly received ₦1.3 billion for a contract that was never executed.
When asked if his visit to the Presidential Villa on Tuesday was to seek protection from prosecution, Sirika dismissed the suggestion, saying the matter was before the courts and could not be publicly debated.
“Unfortunately, this matter is in a court of law and should not be subjected to the press. I am a very clean man. I have worked with people. The government has every instrument at its disposal to verify my character,” he maintained.
He clarified that his visit to President Bola Tinubu was strictly to pay condolences over the passing of former President Muhammadu Buhari and to pledge loyalty to the ruling APC government.
Sirika stressed that the Nigeria Air project was conceptualised in good faith and should not be dismissed as fraudulent.