BY NONYELUM JULIET
Kaduna
The Concerned Northern Forum has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for the arrest and investigation of former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika over the Nigerian Air scandal.
The group made the call on Thursday in a statement signed by its Chairman, Ali Muhammad.
“The call for arrest of Hadi Sirika followed the recent revelation by the interim MD of the so called ‘Nigerian Airline’ Captain Dapo Olumide, when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Aviation, where he stated that the Nigeria Air aircraft used for unveiling of the Nigeria Air was rented from Ethiopian Airline.
“No wonder the unveiling was quick, no details were made available, no one has the eyes to say he saw any features of the plain or anything”.
“He also made known that the airline was yet to secure an operating licence for full flight operations, disagreeing with earlier declarations of the former Minister, Hadi Sirika.
“This explains why the Minister was so adamant and insisted on going ahead with the unveiling of the Nigerian Air even when there was a court order acting against that same matter, because it’s a half baked project, driven by lies, deception, corruption and personal money benefits to the Minister amounting to billions of Naira”.
“This is deception and breach of trust that should not go un-punished. Hadi Sirika must be brought to face the law.
It is also a disregard for the rule of law and entire justice system to proceed on matter against the order of a competent court of law”.
“The Minister has acted with so much impunity on several occasions, as if the law cannot get to him, he has continuously operated as a tyrant Minister, refusing to listen to no one, the aviation experts, Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, who advised against this project.
“This national embarrassment and waste of resources incurred on the country would have been averted if he had listened to advices, yet Sirika went ahead knowing it was a charade, to deceive Nigerians and pocket billions to himself.
“This is fraud, very much within the reach of the EFCC and the anti graft agency should as a matter of national urgency immediately arrest and investigate Sirika for commiting financial and other related crimes, as he has been deceiving Nigerians for eight years and now he is lobbying for Ministerial appointment.
“We therefore caution and kindly call on President Tinubu to not consider him for Minister or any appointment in his administration, rather he should be behind bars for siphoning public wealth and covering it with more lies and deception.
“The EFCC must not waste any more time in arresting Hadi Sirika along side all his co-perpetrators that took part in deceiving Nigeria, and shaming it before the international community, they should be investigated thoroughly, and provide reasonable and acceptable answers with respect to Nigeria Air Project or be made to lie on their bed as they have so made it”.
