A prosecution witness, Musa Odiniyan, on Monday testified before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), detailing how former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, awarded a contract for the rehabilitation of Katsina Airport to an unqualified company.
Odiniyan, the fifth witness presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleged that the company, Al Buraq Global Investment, lacked the necessary qualifications and capacity to handle such a critical project.
During cross-examination, Odiniyan explained that Sirika, who is currently facing trial over his alleged involvement in a ₦2.8 billion aviation fraud, facilitated the release of funds to the company to ensure the project was completed and commissioned before the end of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.
The witness further revealed that if the contract had adhered to proper bidding procedures, Al Buraq Global Investment would not have met the required standards to secure the project.
“We use some criteria for determining the award of contracts for companies. I still maintain that if it was an open competitive bidding, the company Al Buraq may not have qualified,” he added.
Continuing, Odiniyan, who is a retired director in the Procurement Department, Ministry of Aviation, said: “The reason for that payment was for the project to be implemented and commissioned before the exit of the former president.
“The accounting officer sourced money from every relevant route to actualize the project. N800million was the budgetary allowance that was approved to support the actualization of the project,” the witness told the court.
He further informed the court that though two of the ministry’s contracts awarded to Alburak and Enginos on the Apron and Terminal Building of Katsina Airport, respectively, were captured under two different budget codes, however, they appeared in a single code in the Procurement Department.
Trial Justice Sylvanus Oriji adjourned further hearing on the matter till March 10.
Sirika, who served as Minister under the administration of former President Buhari, was docked before the court alongside his daughter, Fatima, his son-in-law, Jalal Sule Hamma, as well as a firm – Al Buraq Global Investment Limited.
The EFCC alleged that the 1st defendant, Sirika, had in 2022, while in office a Minister, used his position to confer unfair advantage by influencing the award of contract for the Nigerian Air Start-up and for Apron Extension at Katsina Airport, to companies that were managed by his daughter and son-in-law.
The anti-graft agency maintained that the erstwhile Minister’s action was punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Meanwhile, all the defendants pleaded not guilty to the allegations against them, even as they court admitted them to bail, pending the determination of the six-count amended charge the EFCC preferred against them.