Former minister and family involved in failed Nigeria Air launch facing criminal charges

A former Nigerian minister and his family are facing criminal charges for their involvement in the failed launch of Nigerian Air. Hadi Sirika, the former Minister of Aviation in Nigeria, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on May 9, for charges of abusing his office in award of contracts, including the failed Nigerian Air project. Sirika was brought to the court with his daughter, Fatima, and her husband, Jalal Sule Hamma. Fatima and Jalal were present on behalf their company, Al Buraq Global Investment Ltd. The former minister served under President Muhammadu Buhari as Minister of Aviation for two terms after taking on the role in 2019 and, according to reports in the Premium Times Nigeria, was accused of ""abusing his office as minister with the award of contracts to company in which his daughter and her husband had interest"". The EFCC also accused Fatima, who works at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), and her husband, Jalal Sule Hamma, a staff member of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, of having “indirectly private interests in the contract for the Apron Extension at the Katsina Airport, totalling almost N1.5 billion ($1.02 million). Alongside this, Sirika's daughter was also said to have been in possession of around N1.3 billion (around $885,000) allegedly traced to Mr Sirika as “proceeds of criminal conducts” according to the EFCC. The defendants denied these allegations and other counts, totalling six in all, when they were read to them last week. The charges came about when, a few days prior to the end of the Buhari-led administration, Mr Sirika unveiled an aircraft purportedly belonging to Nigeria Air. Premium Times Nigeria reported that the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation called for the suspending of Nigeria Air, as well as calling for the prosecution of Mr Sirika and other persons involved in the project. All three parties involved were granted bail by judge Sylvanus Oriji in the sum of N100 million ($68,000) each. He also ordered the defendants not to travel abroad during the trial without the court’s permission.