Sirika Trial: EFCC Witness Admits Not Interviewing NAF, FAAN Officials

An investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Christopher Odofin, has told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) that the commission did not interview Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) personnel during its investigation into alleged contract fraud involving former Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Abubakar Sirika.

Odofin, the 12th prosecution witness (PW12), made the disclosure on Wednesday while being cross-examined by counsel to Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, Michael Numa, SAN, in the ongoing trial of Sirika and three others over alleged contract fraud involving N2.8 billion.

The witness also said he was unaware of a dispute between NAF and FAAN over the site of a contract awarded to Al Buraq for the extension of the apron at Katsina airport.

His testimony came despite his earlier claim that the EFCC had conducted a thorough investigation into the alleged fraud.

Sirika is being prosecuted alongside his daughter, Fatima; his son-in-law, Hamman Jalal Sule; and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, a company allegedly owned by the couple. The defendants are standing trial before Justice Sylvanus Oriji at Maitama, Abuja, on a six-count charge bordering on abuse of office and contract fraud.

The EFCC alleged that Sirika abused his office by influencing the award of a contract worth N1,498,300,750 for the extension of the airport apron in favour of Al Buraq, among other alleged offences.

The charges were brought under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, the EFCC (Establishment) Act, 2004, and the Penal Code Act applicable to the FCT. The defendants have pleaded not guilty.

During the proceedings, Odofin maintained that the investigation was thorough and that relevant documents had been gathered for the prosecution.

“To the best of my ability, the investigation was thorough. Also, to the best of my ability, all relevant documents were gathered. All materials submitted to me are in the proof of evidence,” he told the court.

However, when asked whether he interviewed officials of the Katsina State Ministry of Lands, the witness answered in the negative, insisting that no land had been allocated for the project.

He said he would be surprised if the ministry had allocated land for the contract and communicated the information to the EFCC.

Odofin also said he did not know whether the land in question was being used by NAF and was unaware of any document the Air Force might have sent to the commission concerning the land.

Asked whether he knew of a dispute between NAF and FAAN that prevented Al Buraq from mobilising to the site, the witness said he did not.

He added that he was unaware that the dispute had been resolved, the contract re-awarded to Al Buraq and the company directed to commence work.

“I am not aware of a dispute between Air Force and FAAN over the land. I also do not know that the dispute prevented Al Buraq to move to site. Also, I don’t know if the contract was re-awarded to Al Buraq and it was asked to move to site,” Odofin said.

The witness nevertheless maintained that Sirika influenced the award of the contract.

He told the court that the then Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Aviation, Abel Enitan; the ministry’s Director of Procurement, Musa Odiniya; and Azubuike Okorie, the first prosecution witness, were interviewed during the investigation. He, however, said their statements were not video-recorded.

Although shown documents during cross-examination, Odofin insisted that the contracts for the terminal building and apron extension at Katsina airport were one contract. He confirmed, however, that the Bureau of Public Procurement approved the contracts.

He further told the court that the Ministry of Aviation had no affiliations with Fatima Hadi Sirika and Hamman Jalal Sule, the second and third defendants, respectively.

He added that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, where the two defendants respectively worked, had no authority over the aviation ministry.

Odofin also confirmed that although Al Buraq had other shareholders and directors besides Fatima and Sule, none of them was being prosecuted in the case.

Justice Oriji adjourned the case until November 18 for continuation of the witness’s cross-examination.