The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, over an ongoing N8,069,176,864.00 money laundering probe.
The former Minister is being grilled on alleged fraudulent contracts awarded by him to a company known as Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by his younger sibling, Abubakar Sirika.
In a chat with journalists on Tuesday, the anti-graft chairman Ola Olukoyede confirmed that the EFCC has been investigating the Aviation and Humanitarian Affairs ministries, saying the probe has not been about only Sirika and Betta Edu but everything about the two ministries, according to channels TV.
“It is the system I am investigation and whosoever is now found culpable along the line, those are the names you will hear,” Olukoyede stated.
The commission has been investigating the activities of the Aviation Ministry for conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds, and contract inflation. Others are criminal breaches of trust and money laundering amounting to N8,069,176,864.00 during Sirika’s tenure in office.
The sum is said to be for four aviation contracts from the former minister to a company known as Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by his younger sibling, Abubakar Sirika.
Apart from being listed as the company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Abubakar is said to be the sole signatory to the company’s two accounts, domiciled in Zenith and Union Banksy.
It was further revealed that the ex-minister’s younger brother, Abubakar Sirika, has been arrested and detained by the commission in connection with N3,212,258,930.18 paid to his company, Engirios Nigerian Limited’s, bank account by the former minister.
