The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has told an Abuja court that former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika orchestrated an elaborate deception in the dying days of the Buhari administration, allegedly passing off a chartered Ethiopian Airlines aircraft as the long-promised Nigeria Air carrier in a staged public display timed to coincide with the end of his ministerial tenure.
The allegation was made on Wednesday before Justice S.C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, where Sirika is standing trial alongside his daughter, Fatima Sirika; his son-in-law, Hamma Sule; and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited on charges of abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds exceeding ₦2 billion.
The 12th prosecution witness, Christopher Odofin, an EFCC investigator, told the court that the aircraft paraded at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on May 27, 2023, had been chartered from Ethiopian Airlines solely for a three-day static display bearing Nigeria Air livery — and was never intended to operate a single commercial flight.
Reading from a charter agreement tendered before the court, Odofin outlined the precise timeline of the arrangement. “The aircraft will depart from Addis Ababa late evening of May 26, 2023, for it to be positioned early morning of May 27, 2023, at the Abuja airport,” the document stated. “The aircraft will stay at the airport for a static display of Nigeria Air livery until May 28, 2023. The aircraft will leave early morning on May 29, 2023. The chartered flight will be operated by the Ethiopian Airlines crew in Ethiopian Airlines uniform.”
The agreement went further, revealing the theatrical nature of the event. It noted that the Federal Government and Nigeria Air could “put together local models who will be in Nigeria Air uniforms to pose for ceremonial pictures,” and that those models could travel to Addis Ababa to fly in on the chartered aircraft.
Odofin told the court the timing was no coincidence. He alleged the display was deliberately scheduled to align with the expiration of Sirika’s ministerial appointment on May 29, 2023 — the same day the aircraft was flown back to Ethiopia. Nigeria Air branding, he said, was stripped from the plane less than 72 hours after the public unveiling. Ethiopian Airlines subsequently confirmed the arrangement in a letter to the EFCC dated June 12, 2023.
Consultancy Contract Under Scrutiny
The court also heard allegations concerning a consultancy contract awarded for the establishment of Nigeria Air to Tianaero Nigeria Limited, a company the prosecution linked to Gabriel Tilmann, described as a close associate of the former minister.
According to Odofin, the company was initially awarded a contract worth over ₦299 million in April 2022, before it was more than doubled to over ₦599 million in October of the same year — a move the EFCC said was directed personally by Sirika.
“The investigating team arrived at this position when the phone of one Enitan Muyiwa Abel, who was a Permanent Secretary in the first defendant’s ministry, was analysed, showing a voice note sent to the Permanent Secretary while the first defendant was in Spain, instructing him to ensure that the contract was awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited,” Odofin testified.
The prosecution tendered several documents in evidence, including a compact disc containing the voice note, marked as Exhibit 37. The prosecution counsel applied to have the recording played at the next hearing, and none of the defence counsel raised objections to the admission of the exhibits.
Justice Oriji adjourned the matter to June 17, 2026, for continuation of trial.
