Christopher Odofin, the 12th Prosecution Witness (PW12), on Wednesday told Justice S.C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja how the former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, allegedly passed off an Ethiopian Airlines aircraft as the promised Nigeria Air under the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
The decoy aircraft, fully branded with Nigeria Air livery, arrived on the tarmac of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on May 27, 2023—just three days before the expiration of the Buhari government.
It was subsequently flown back to Addis Ababa on the morning of May 29, 2023, which was the handover date to the succeeding administration.
Sirika is currently being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an amended six-count charge bordering on alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds totaling over N2 billion.
He is standing trial alongside his daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika, his son-in-law, Hamma Jalal Sule, and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited.
The contract to establish Nigeria Air was awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited, a company owned by Gabriel Tilmann, who is described as a close friend and associate of the former minister.
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Reading a portion of the contract agreement with Ethiopian Airlines, the witness, who is an EFCC investigator, said, “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.”
“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.”
The witness told the court that the aircraft display in Abuja was a calculated move designed to align with the end of Sirika’s tenure as Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development on May 29, 2023, in order to falsely present the aircraft as the fulfillment of his promise to launch Nigeria Air.
Following the brief display, which lasted less than 72 hours, the Nigeria Air logo was peeled off, and the plane was returned to Ethiopian Airlines in Addis Ababa.
The investigator further revealed that the EFCC team confirmed the three-day charter arrangement (from May 27 to May 29, 2023) through correspondence and documents provided by Ethiopian Airlines on June 12, 2023, following an official request for information.
Despite the overarching project being the creation of a national carrier, this specific charter agreement for a static logo display was signed on May 24, 2023—just five days before the administration’s tenure ended.
All documents presented by the prosecution were duly signed, authorized, and accompanied by certificates of identification. Defense counsels for the four defendants raised no objections to the exhibits.
Among the accepted evidence is a compact disk containing a voice note from Sirika, marked as Exhibit 37, which the prosecution intends to play at the next court appearance.
Continuing his testimony, the witness explained that while the initial Nigeria Air start-up contract was awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited for over N299 million on April 4, 2022, it was later extended on October 17, 2022, pushing the total sum past N599 million.
This extension was allegedly executed on the direct instructions of Sirika due to his relationship with the company’s head.
According to him, “The investigating team arrived at this position when the phone of one Enitan Muyiwa Abel, who was a Permanent Secretary in the first defendant’s ministry was analysed, showing a voice note sent to the Permanent Secretary while the first defendant was in Spain instructing him to ensure that the contract was awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited.”
Justice Oriji subsequently adjourned the case until next week, June 17, 2026, for the continuation of the trial.
