Court Testimony: Sirika’s Alleged Favoritism in Contract Awards
In a recent court proceeding, Musa Odiniyan, a retired director from the Ministry of Aviation’s Procurement Department, testified that former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika awarded a contract for the apron extension at Katsina Airport to Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, a company linked to Sirika’s daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika, and son-in-law, Jalal Sule Hamma. Odiniyan asserted that the company would not have qualified for the contract under a transparent and competitive bidding process.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged Sirika and his associates with contract fraud amounting to N2.8 billion. The prosecution alleges that Sirika used his position to confer undue advantage upon Al Buraq Global Investment Limited by influencing the award of the contract valued at N1,498,300,750.
Odiniyan also testified that the company received 100% of the contract fee upfront, with the intention of completing and inaugurating the project before the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. He noted that the contract was awarded during the final months of Buhari’s tenure, which is why it had a six-month completion period.