Air Nigeria: Former Aviation Minister Sirika invited by EFCC

By Abiodun OBA

The former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has been invited for questioning over Nigerian Air project by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The minister is believed to have been invited to answer questions related to the launch of the airline, Nigerian Air.

Recall, Sirika had said at a recent Arise News Channel interview that the landing of the Ethiopian aircraft in Abuja, was “a marketing strategy.”

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) disclosed 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.

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had also consistently opposed the idea on several grounds.

Speaking on the matter recently, the spokesman of AON, Obiora Okonkwo, 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”.

The commission had already grilled some supposed officials of the national carrier.

When contacted, spokesman of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed that there was an ongoing investigation but could not give further details.

“I can confirm that there is an ongoing investigation in that regard,” he said.