An investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has told the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) high court in Abuja that the aircraft unveiled as Nigeria Air in May 2023 was chartered from Ethiopian Airlines for a three-day display before being returned to Addis Ababa.
Christopher Odofin, the 12th prosecution witness in the trial of Hadi Sirika, former minister of aviation, gave the testimony on Wednesday before Sylvanus Oriji, the presiding judge.
The EFCC is prosecuting Sirika on a six-count amended charge bordering on alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of more than N2 billion.
Fatima Sirika, his daughter; Hamma Jalal Sule, his son-in-law; and their company, Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, are also defendants in the case.
While being led in evidence, Odofin, an EFCC investigator, read portions of documents obtained from Ethiopian Airlines during the commission’s investigation into the Nigeria Air project.
According to him, the airline agreed to provide an aircraft bearing Nigeria Air livery for a brief appearance in Abuja days before the end of the administration of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The aircraft will depart from Addis Ababa (ADD) late evening of May 26, 2023, for it to be positioned early morning of May 27, 2023, at the Abuja (ABV) airport,” Odofin read from the agreement.
“The aircraft will stay in ABV airport for static display of Nigeria Air livery until May 28, 2023. The aircraft will leave ABV airport early morning on May, 29, 2023.
“The chartered flight will be operated by the Ethiopian Airline crew in Ethiopian Airline uniform.
“The federal government of Nigeria and Nigeria Air may put together local models who will be in Nigeria Air uniforms to pose for ceremonial pictures. The models may come to Addis Ababa so they may fly with the chartered flight to ABV.”
He informed the court that investigators found that the arrangement was timed to coincide with the expiration of Sirika’s tenure as aviation minister on May 29, 2023.
Odofin also said the aircraft remained in Abuja for less than 72 hours before the Nigeria Air branding was removed and the plane returned to Ethiopian Airlines in Addis Ababa.
The witness further testified that the charter agreement was executed on May 24, 2023, just five days before the end of the administration, despite the project being presented as part of efforts to establish Nigeria’s national carrier.
He added that the EFCC obtained documents from Ethiopian Airlines through a letter dated June 12, 2023, sent in response to the commission’s request for information on the Nigeria Air project.
The prosecution also tendered several documents and electronic exhibits, including a compact disc said to contain a voice note from Sirika.
The court admitted the exhibits without objection from counsel representing the defendants, while the prosecution subsequently applied for the voice recording to be played at the next sitting.
The case was adjourned for continuation of the trial.
