A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama has granted N100 million bail to the immediate past Minister of Aviation, Hadi Abubakar Sirika; his daughter Fatima, and his son-in-law Jalal Sule Hamma.

Justice Sylvanus Oriji granted them bail after their arraignment.

Sirika, Fatima and Hamma were accused of Nigerian Air contract fraud to the tune of N1,326,731,670.97.

They were charged with corruption in the contract for apron extension at Katsina Airport involving N1,498,300,750.00 and alleged gratification of N1,310,142,051.16.

The defendants were charged along with a firm, Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, on a six-count charge bordering on corrupt practices, to which they pleaded not guilty.

Other conditions attached to the bail include that the defendants must produce two sureties, who must be Nigerians.

One of them must own a property within the Abuja Municipality, with a certificate of occupancy (C of O) signed personally by the Minister of the FCT.

Justice Oriji also barred the defendants from travelling outside the country during the pendency of the case.

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The judge ordered that the defendants should be remanded in prison custody should they fail to perfect the bail before the day runs out.

Shortly after the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge, the prosecuting lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) sought a date for the commencement of trial.

But, counsel for the defendants (all SANs)- Kanu Agabi, for Sirika, Mahmud Magaji for Fatima and Sunusi Musa for Hamma – applied for their bail, which the judge granted and adjourned till June 10 for trial.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said the defendants committed the fraudulent acts between April 2022 and March 2023.

It added that all the offences are contrary to Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, Section 17 (b) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act 2004 and Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532 Acts of the Federal Capital Territory and punishable under the same sections

Counts of the charge, marked: FCT/HC/CR/348/2024 read:

• That you, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, while being the Minister of Aviation between April 2022 and March 2023, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon Tianaero Nigeria Limited, whose alter ego Prof. Gabriel Tilmann, is your Associate by using your position to influence the award to them, the consultancy contract for the Nigerian Air Start-up and extension of same for the sum of N1,326,731,670.97 and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and punishable under the same section.

• That you, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, while being the Minister of Aviation on or about 16th August 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon Al Buraq Global Investment Limited whose alter ego Fatima Hadi Sirika and Jalal Sule Hamma are your daughter and son-in-law respectively by using your position to influence the award to them, the contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport, for the sum of N1,498,300,750.00 and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.

• That you, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, while being the Minister of Aviation and in such capacity as a public officer on or about 18th August, 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court entrusted with certain property to wit the sum of N1,498,300,750.00 committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by being dishonestly connected with the illegal award of contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport, to and for the benefit of Al Buraq Global Investment Limited whose alter ego are Fatima Hadi Sirika and Jalal Sule Hamma, your daughter and son-in-law respectively and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532 Acts of the Federal Capital Territory and punishable under the same section.

• That you, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, while being the Minister of Aviation, Fatima Hadi Sirika while being a public servant and an employee of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd and Jalal Sule Hamma while being a public servant and an employee of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commissioned on or about 18th August 2022 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly hold indirectly private interests in the contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,498,300,750 00 awarded to Al Buraq Global Investment Limited whose alter ego are Fatima Hadi Sirika and Jalal Sule Hamma which contract was awarded on account of public service and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 12 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section.