An EFCC investigator has admitted that the commission did not interview Nigerian Air Force and FAAN personnel during its investigation of an alleged ₦2.8 billion aviation contract fraud involving former minister Hadi Sirika, placing the scope of the probe under scrutiny as the trial continues.
Christopher Odofin, the 12th prosecution witness, made the disclosure on Wednesday while being cross-examined at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja.
The case involves Sirika, his daughter, Fatima, his son-in-law, Hamman Jalal Sule, and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited. They face a six-count charge linked to alleged abuse of office and contract fraud. All defendants have pleaded not guilty.
The EFCC alleges that Sirika influenced the award of a contract worth ₦1.498 billion for the extension of the apron at Katsina airport in favour of Al Buraq. The wider case concerns alleged contract fraud valued at ₦2.8 billion.
RELATED NEWS:
Unexamined officials, disputed project site
Under questioning by Michael Numa, SAN, counsel to Al Buraq, Odofin said investigators had not interviewed personnel from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) or the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
He also acknowledged that he did not know of a reported dispute between the two agencies over the land intended for the project. The disagreement allegedly prevented the contractor from moving to the site.
“I am not aware of a dispute between Air Force and FAAN over the land,” Odofin told the court, adding that he did not know whether the disagreement had been resolved or the contractor subsequently instructed to begin work.
The testimony raises questions about how investigators assessed control of the project site, the circumstances surrounding mobilisation and the roles of the agencies involved. However, the absence of interviews alone does not establish that the investigation was inadequate or that the allegations are unfounded.
Odofin maintained that the probe was thorough and that relevant documents had been included in the prosecution’s proof of evidence.
He said investigators interviewed former Aviation Ministry Permanent Secretary Abel Enitan, Director of Procurement Musa Odiniya and prosecution witness Azubuike Okorie. Their statements, he confirmed, were not video-recorded.
Contract approvals and defendants’ roles
The witness also confirmed that the Bureau of Public Procurement approved the contracts, although he maintained that the terminal building and apron extension works constituted one contract.
He acknowledged that Fatima and Sule’s employers, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, had no authority over the Aviation Ministry. He further confirmed that Al Buraq had other shareholders and directors who were not among the defendants.
These issues may feature in the defence’s challenge to the prosecution’s account, but the court has yet to determine the defendants’ liability.
Justice Sylvanus Oriji adjourned proceedings until November 18 for further cross-examination. The next stage may clarify the disputed site arrangements and the evidence linking the accused to the alleged offences.
For More News Updates Visit New Daily Prime News
