The defendants have denied the allegations.
The trial of former Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, continued on Wednesday before Justice S.C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, with an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness alleging that the former minister violated due process in the award of contracts related to the Nigeria Air project.
Sirika is standing trial alongside his daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika, his 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.
The defendants have denied the allegations.
The 12th prosecution witness, Christopher Odofin, an EFCC investigator, told the court that Sirika awarded a N299 million consultancy contract to Tianaero Nigeria Limited for Nigeria Air and later approved an additional N599 million contract extension for the same company without complying with procurement procedures.
