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Sirika rejects ₦100bn scam claims, clarifying that the total budget for the Nigeria Air project was just ₦5 billion, with only ₦3 billion released—and that much remained unspent when he exited office.
Former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika firmly dismissed allegations of a ₦100 billion Nigeria Air scam. In an interview with TV360 Nigeria, he explained that while the project was allocated ₦5 billion, only ₦3 billion was released, and roughly ₦1 billion wasn’t even spent by the time he left office. He emphasized the project followed due process via a public-private partnership and was regulated by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
Sirika stated the released funds primarily covered necessities such as consultancy, staffing, office setups, and processing for the airline’s Air Operator Certificate (AOC).
He also pushed back on claims of undue government expense, stating:
“It was a marketing strategy from the equity partners. We didn’t pay; Ethiopian Airlines handled it.”Legit.ng – Nigeria news.
Ethiopian Airlines owned the aircraft used at the official unveiling; that plane wasn’t funded by Nigeria’s coffers.
Sirika identified serious legal hurdles—several airlines under the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) bloc, including Air Peace, United, and Azman, filed litigation to halt Nigeria Air, particularly due to limited government equity in the partnership.
He argued that these delays and legal battles undermined the project’s momentum, despite its institutional backing from the ICRC and Federal Executive Council.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) later charged Sirika, his daughter, and son-in-law with fraud, alleging subversions in contract awards worth ₦2.7 billion—funds directed to companies tied to family members. All three were granted bail in the amount of ₦100 million each.
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