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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented its first witness on Monday in the high-profile trial of former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, his daughter Fatima, his son-in-law Jalal Hamma, and Al-Buraq Investment Limited, over an alleged N2.7 billion contract fraud.
The trial, presided over by Justice Sylvanus Oriji at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, saw Azubuike Okorie, a former director of Procurement at the Federal Ministry of Aviation, take the stand. Okorie, led in evidence by EFCC's lead counsel Rotimi Jacobs, testified that the N1.4 billion Apron Extension contract at Katsina Airport remained unexecuted as of his retirement on May 23, 2023.
"As of the time I left civil service on May 23, 2023, the contract was not executed, to the best of my knowledge," Okorie stated. During his tenure as Special Assistant to the Minister on Projects and Chairman of the Project Implementation Committee, he was responsible for overseeing project completion.
Okorie further testified that Al-Buraq Investment Limited, one of the contractors for the Katsina Airport project, was absent during a site visit by his committee. "When we got there, we had a list of other contractors who were supposed to be on the ground including Al-Buraq. My lord, we did not find any of them on site then," he added.
The witness explained that land acquisition issues between the Nigerian Air Force and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria hindered project commencement. He also mentioned that while he was aware of a 30% mobilization fee paid to Al-Buraq, he could not confirm if full payment had been made.
Defendants' counsel, led by Kanu Agabi, requested an adjournment for cross-examination to review the documents presented by the EFCC. The court adjourned the trial to Tuesday, June 11, 2024.
Sirika, along with his daughter and son-in-law, faces a six-count charge of contract fraud, accused of using his ministerial position to favor his relatives and Al-Buraq Investment Limited.
