The 12th prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has told the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, that an aircraft displayed in Abuja as Nigeria Air shortly before the end of the Muhammadu Buhari administration allegedly belonged to Ethiopian Airlines.
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The witness, Christopher Odofin, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, gave the testimony on Wednesday before Justice S.C. Oriji.
Sirika is being prosecuted by the EFCC on an amended six-count charge bordering on alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of over ₦2 billion.
He is standing trial alongside his daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika; his son-in-law, Hamma Jalal Sule; and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited.
The prosecution alleged that the contract for the setting up of Nigeria Air was awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited, a company said to belong to Gabriel Tilmann, described as a close associate and friend of the former minister.
Testifying before the court, Odofin said investigations revealed that the aircraft which appeared on the tarmac of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on May 27, 2023, was not a Nigeria Air aircraft but an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft temporarily adorned with Nigeria Air livery.
According to the witness, the aircraft was flown from Addis Ababa to Abuja for a static display and later returned to Ethiopia on May 29, 2023, the day the Buhari administration handed over power.
Reading from a portion of the contract agreement with Ethiopian Airlines, the witness said the aircraft was scheduled to depart Addis Ababa late on May 26, 2023, to arrive in Abuja in the early hours of May 27, 2023.
He said the aircraft was to remain at the Abuja airport for the static display of the Nigeria Air livery until May 28, 2023, before departing Abuja in the early hours of May 29, 2023.
“The chartered flight will be operated by the Ethiopian Airline crew in Ethiopian Airline uniform,” the witness quoted the agreement as stating.
He further quoted the document as providing that the Federal Government of Nigeria and Nigeria Air could arrange local models in Nigeria Air uniforms to pose for ceremonial pictures, and that the models could travel to Addis Ababa to fly with the chartered flight to Abuja.
Odofin told the court that the display was allegedly planned to coincide with the end of Sirika’s tenure as Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development and to create the impression that the promised Nigeria Air had been actualised.
He said after the aircraft was displayed for less than 72 hours, the Nigeria Air logo was removed and the aircraft was flown back to Ethiopian Airlines in Addis Ababa.
The witness also testified that Ethiopian Airlines entered into a charter arrangement for the static display of the Nigeria Air livery for only three days, from May 27 to May 29, 2023.
He said the information was obtained from documents received from Ethiopian Airlines in response to the EFCC’s request for information on Nigeria Air.
According to him, although the contract was for the establishment of Nigeria Air, the charter agreement with Ethiopian Airlines was entered on May 24, 2023, five days before the end of Sirika’s tenure.
The court admitted documents tendered by the prosecution, including materials said to have been duly signed, authorised and accompanied by certificates of identification. None of the defence counsel objected to the documents.
Among the exhibits tendered was a compact disc containing a voice note allegedly from Sirika, marked Exhibit 37.
The prosecution applied for the voice note to be played in court at the next adjourned date.
Odofin further told the court that the contract for the start-up of Nigeria Air was awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited for over ₦299 million on April 4, 2022.
He said the contract was later extended on October 17, 2022, to a sum exceeding ₦599 million, allegedly on the instructions and directives of Sirika.
According to the witness, the investigating team reached that conclusion after analysing the phone of Enitan Muyiwa Abel, a former Permanent Secretary in the ministry.
He said the analysis allegedly showed a voice note sent to the Permanent Secretary while Sirika was in Spain, instructing him to ensure that the contract was awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited.
Justice Oriji adjourned the matter till June 17, 2026, for continuation of trial.
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