Alleged N2bn Fraud: Witness Revealed How Sirika Used Ethiopian Airlines Plane to Stage Nigeria Air Launch

A prosecution witness in the trial of former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, on Wednesday told the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja how an aircraft belonging to Ethiopian Airlines was allegedly presented as the proposed Nigeria Air in the final days of the administration of former President, late Muhammadu Buhari.

Christopher Odofin, the 12th Prosecution Witness (PW12) and an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), made the disclosure before Justice S.C. Oriji during the ongoing trial of Sirika and three others over an alleged N2 billion fraud.

Sirika is facing prosecution by the EFCC on an amended six-count charge bordering on alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds amounting to over N2 billion. Also standing trial are his daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika; his son-in-law, Hamma Jalal Sule; and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited.

According to the witness, the aircraft bearing the livery of Nigeria Air arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on May 27, 2023, three days before the expiration of the Buhari administration, and departed for Addis Ababa on the morning of May 29, 2023, the day power was handed over to a new government.

Reading from a contract agreement involving Ethiopian Airlines, Odofin told the court: “The aircraft will depart from Addis Ababa (ADD) late evening of May 26, 2023 for it to be positioned early morning of May 27, 2023 at the Abuja (ABV) airport.

“The aircraft will stay in ABV airport for static display of Nigeria Air livery until May 28, 2023. The aircraft will leave ABV airport early morning on May, 29, 2023. The chartered flight will be operated by the Ethiopian Airline crew in Ethiopian Airline uniform.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria and Nigeria Air may put together local models who will be in Nigeria Air uniforms to pose for ceremonial pictures. The models may come to Addis Ababa so they may fly with the chartered flight to ABV.”

Odofin said the display of the aircraft at the Abuja airport was deliberately timed to coincide with the end of Sirika’s tenure as Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development and to portray the project as the fulfilment of his promise to revive a national carrier.

He further told the court that after less than 72 hours on display, the Nigeria Air logo was removed and the aircraft was returned to Ethiopian Airlines in Addis Ababa.

The witness disclosed that investigators established that Ethiopian Airlines entered into a charter arrangement for the temporary display of the Nigeria Air livery for only three days, from May 27 to May 29, 2023. He said the findings were based on documents and information supplied by the airline in a letter dated June 12, 2023, in response to an EFCC request regarding Nigeria Air.

According to him, although the arrangement was linked to the establishment of Nigeria Air, the charter agreement was signed on May 24, 2023, just five days before the end of Sirika’s tenure, and was solely for the static display of the Nigeria Air logo on an aircraft.

The court was told that all documents tendered by the prosecution were duly signed, authorised and accompanied by certificates of identification. None of the defence counsel representing the four defendants objected to their admission in evidence.

Among the exhibits admitted was a compact disc containing a voice note allegedly from Sirika, marked Exhibit 37. The prosecution applied for the recording to be played in open court at the next adjourned sitting.

Odofin also testified that the contract for the start-up of Nigeria Air, awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited for more than N299 million on April 4, 2022, was later extended on October 17, 2022, to an amount exceeding N599 million on the instructions of the former minister.

The witness stated that investigators linked the contract extension to Sirika’s relationship with the company’s alter ego.

According to him, “The investigating team arrived at this position when the phone of one Enitan Muyiwa Abel, who was a Permanent Secretary in the first defendant’s ministry was analysed, showing a voice note sent to the Permanent Secretary while the first defendant was in Spain instructing him to ensure that the contract was awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited.”

Justice Oriji subsequently adjourned the matter until June 17, 2026, for continuation of trial.