Sirika Faces Allegations of Procurement Breach in Nigeria Air Project – EFCC Witness

A witness in the ongoing trial of former Aviation Minister, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, has told the Federal Capital Territory High Court that the former minister breached due process in the award of consultancy contracts connected to the Nigeria Air project.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigator, Christopher Odofin, disclosed this on Wednesday while testifying before Justice S.C. Oriji in Abuja.

Sirika is on trial alongside his daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika, son-in-law, Hamma Jalal Sule and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited on amended six-count charges bordering on abuse of office and the alleged misappropriation of more than N2 billion in public funds.

Odofin, who testified as the 12th prosecution witness, told the court that Sirika awarded a N299 million consultancy contract to Tianaero Nigeria Limited for services in relation to Nigeria Air and later approved a N599 million contract extension for the same company without following due procurement processes.

The witness said the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development wrote the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) on March 7, 2022, requesting for a Certificate of No Objection for the engagement of consultants. However, he said the contract was awarded to Tianaero on April 4, 2022, before receiving the BPP’s response.

“The letter of award of contract had been sent to Tianaero Limited before the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development could get a response from BPP,” Odofin told the court.

He further alleged that the BPP was not carried along at all on the subsequent contract extension of N599million awarded to the company.

The witness also stated that both contracts were paid in full to Tianaero Nigeria Limited, owned by a German national, Gabriel Tilmann, who he described as a close associate of Sirika.

Odofin said the initial N299 million contract was paid in four tranches between May and July 2022 through the company’s Access Bank account, while the N599 million contract extension was paid in two instalments between October and December 2022 through its Guaranty Trust Bank account.

The witness said there was little evidence of tangible outcomes from the Nigeria Air project despite the payments.

He also told the court that Tianaero Nigeria Limited was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission on 29th of March, 2021, barely a year before it was awarded the contracts.

“My Lord, it is also important to state that Tianaero Nigeria Limited was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission on the 29th March 2021, barely one year before these contracts were awarded to the company,” he said.

Proceedings were briefly delayed when prosecutors attempted to play a compact disc purported to contain a verbal instruction allegedly issued by Sirika directing the ministry’s permanent secretary to ensure the contracts were awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited. The recording could not be played because of technical problems and was rescheduled for the next hearing date.

Justice Oriji subsequently adjourned the case to July 8 and 9, 2026, for continuation of trial.