ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has summoned Hadi Sirika, the former Minister of Aviation, to appear before the commission for questioning.
Also, the anti-graft agency had questioned officials of the Nigerian Air over the recent launch of the airline in Abuja.
It was gathered that while Sirika was due to appear before the commission within the week to answer questions related to the launch of the airline, Nigerian Air, garbed in Ethiopian colours, the commission had already grilled some supposed officials of the national carrier.
When contacted, the spokesman of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed that there was an ongoing investigation but could not give further details.
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“I can confirm that there is an ongoing investigation in that regard,” he said.
Reliable sources told THISDAY that the EFCC would look at the N3 billion sunk into the project, though some stakeholders insisted that over N80 billion was expended on the project.
The minister had, at the twilight of the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, caused the supposed launch of the Nigerian Air in Abuja using an Ethiopian aircraft.
The minister had said at a recent Arise News Channel interview that the landing of the Ethiopian aircraft in Abuja, was “a marketing strategy.”
“We have already questioned some officials of Nigerian Air. We have invited the former Aviation minister, Hadi Sirika.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) revealed last week that the airline was still on the first stage in a five-phase process of obtaining Air Operator Certificate (AOC) to operate as a commercial airline.
Also, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had consistently opposed the idea on several grounds.
The spokesman of AON, Obiora Okonkwo, speaking recently on the matter warned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to be “blackmailed into accepting a contraption that would definitely and ultimately hurt the Nigerian economy and destroy millions of existing jobs in favour of one or two individuals”.