Hadi Sirika under fire after Nigeria Air’s MD says aircraft hired

Some Nigerians on the internet have called for the arrest and prosecution of the immediate past Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, after the Managing Director of Nigeria Air, Dayo Olumide, disclosed that the aeroplane that landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on May 26, 2023, was a chartered one from Ethiopia Airlines.

Olumide made this known while answering questions from senators on Monday, adding that it was launched in 2018 and that his own responsibility was to secure an operating certificate for the airline.

He said, “It is a pleasure to be here and to finally make our position known, where I can clarify all the misconceptions regarding Nigeria Air as it pertains to the technical aspects of it.”

The PUNCH had reported Sirika affirming at a Federal Executive Council meeting that the national carrier will begin operations before Buhari’s administration winds down on May 29, 2023, despite an order by a Federal High Court in Lagos restraining Nuhu Musa, director-general of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, from issuing an air operator’s certificate to the proposed airline.

He added that the council also approved the sum of ₦3.5 billion for a contract for photometric and taxiway lights for Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt airports.

“Something very significant has happened in the world of civil aviation; part of our road map, the Aviation Leasing Company, has been established and approved by the council.

Contrary to the minister’s claim that the Federal Government will control five per cent equity, while a consortium of three Nigerian investors (MRS, SAHCO and the Nigerian Sovereign Fund) will have 46 per cent, Olumide countered that the aircraft, stirring the conversation did not require a licence and other processes, as it was hired.

Meanwhile, netizens have come down hard on the minister and called for his arrest and prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

A tweeter, Rinu Oduala, wrote, “Nigeria Air” has been declared a fraud after major stakeholders in the deal between Federal Government and Ethiopian Airlines denied knowledge of the launch. NAMA said that the plane was rented and repainted in Nigerian colours. The plane has since been flown back to where it came from.”

Another tweep, Irunnia, said, “In a sane country,y people like Hadi Sirika should be locked up but EFCC will never do that. They will rather arrest anyone they see with an iPhone even the ones with Uk used iPhone 6. This man scammed an entire country and he is still walking around without fear.”

Brother Barth opined that If Hadi Sirika is not arrested in the next 48 hours over #NigeriaAir fraud and international shame, President Tinubu is a suspect.

“Senator Sirika pushed for this twice, and after the second attempt, a huge dent has been placed on the adventure with the “fraud label”. Lessons for him and everyone involved,” Agboworin wrote.

“Even the government admitted they were fraudulent in what they did. Their justification; a chartered flight to Nigeria can be painted in any colour and with any inscription. Nigeria is not real, Wallahi.”

APC chieftain tasks EFCC to probe ex-Aviation Minister, others

A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Haruna Gololo, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to investigate the immediate past Minister of Aviation over unpleasant discoveries In the purported lunch of Nigeria Air aircraft.

Gololo made the call while addressing a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday.

He was reacting to the disclosures by the Acting Managing Director of Nigeria Air, Capt Dapo Olumide, during an investigative hearing of the Senate Committee on Aviation over the state of Nigeria Air project.

Olumide had disclosed at the investigative hearing that the supposed Nigeria Air aircraft that flew in with the logo of Nigeria Air was chartered from Ethiopian Airlines for the purpose of unveiling the logo.

He also disclosed that the airline was yet to secure an operating licence for full flight operations, contrary to the submission of the past minister of aviation on Air Nigeria.

Olumide had told the Senate committee that the aircraft was used pending the completion of the processes required for the operation of the airline.

Gololo, however, said: ”we are giving the EFCC two weeks to arrest and investigate the former Minister of Aviation and other key participants in the former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.”

He said if the EFCC could go after “Yahoo Boys,” for alleged scams, the anti-graft agency could as well go after the government officials for alleged monumental fraud .

”Only yesterday the Senate Committee on Aviation confirmed the fear and suspicion of many Nigerians, when it unearthed the issues in the aviation sector by the immediate past minister, indicating that procurement of Nigeria Air was a scam which gulped billions of tax payers funds.”

Gololo, who was Coordinator of the North-East Tinubu, Shettima support group during the general elections asked, “What happened to the M11.3 trillion spent on the Turn Around Maintenance ( TAM), of the Kaduna, Warri and Port Harcourt refineries?

”But today the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, who awarded the contracts, has gone to run for governorship election to seek immunity.

“There are several other MDAs that were looted under Buhari’s administration.”

He expressed displeasure over the appointment of the new Executive Director of Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) by the out -gone administration, saying that the appointee was in NNPC while refineries remained functional.