Former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, along with three others, including his daughter, Fatima, is set to face trial before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Maitama. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has amended the charges against Mr. Sirika to six counts, involving abuse of office amounting to N2.7 billion.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the former minister’s alleged involvement in fraudulent contracts awarded during his tenure prompted the EFCC’s investigation, leading to his detention on April 23 in Abuja. Sources within the EFCC revealed that Mr. Sirika had been cooperating with investigators prior to his detention, and the commission had been probing the alleged contract frauds during his time in office.
Originally scheduled for Tuesday, the arraignment was postponed due to the EFCC’s request to amend the charges, with the new date set for Thursday. The case signifies another high-profile instance of alleged corruption within Nigeria’s political sphere, underlining the ongoing efforts to combat financial malfeasance and hold public officials accountable.