A witness for Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), told an Abuja High Court on Monday that former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika did not authorise or sign any contract award letters related to projects under investigation.
The witness, Isaiah Yesufu, Director of Compliance at the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP), made the revelation under cross-examination by Sirika’s defence counsel, Kanu Agabi, SAN.
Sirika, his younger brother Ahmad, and two companies – Al-Buraq Limited and Enginos Nigeria Limited – are facing charges of abuse of office, breach of trust, and corrupt advantage. The EFCC alleges that the ex-minister used his position to influence contracts totalling ₦19.4 billion in favour of firms linked to his brother.
Among the projects cited are a ₦1.35 billion terminal building at Katsina Airport and a ₦3.8 billion Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre at the same location.
Yesufu, however, testified that procurement oversight and compliance fall under the Permanent Secretary’s responsibility, not the minister’s.
“It is the duty of the permanent secretary to ensure projects comply with the Procurement Act,” he said. “The minister is not a member of the Ministerial Tenders Board, and its decisions are not communicated to him for implementation.”
He added that in his statement to the EFCC, he never mentioned Sirika’s name and was unaware of any board member being indicted.
“I know the first defendant did not participate in the tenders board proceedings,” Yesufu told the court. “He did not sign or issue any contract award letter.”
The defence team for the second defendant, led by Ufut Okoya, requested an adjournment, after which Justice Suleiman Belgore postponed further proceedings to 10 December for continuation of cross-examination.
