EFCC freezes N3bn allegedly found in Hadi Sirika’s brother’s account

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has reportedly frozen about N3 billion found in a bank account linked to Abubakar Sirika, brother of the former aviation minister Hadi Sirika.

The EFCC quizzed Abubakar over an alleged N8.06 billion contract fraud in the Federal Ministry of Aviation.

The Nation reports that the EFCC arrested Abubakar on Sunday as part of the probe on the aviation ministry under Sirika’s supervision.

The anti-graft agency is probing allegations of conspiracy, abuse of office, diversion of public funds, contract inflation, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.

About N3, 212,258,930.18 was traced to Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by Abubakar, a level 16 officer and deputy director in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

It was learnt that four big contracts were awarded to Abubakar’s firm when his brother was in charge of the ministry.

An EFCC official quoted by the newspaper alleged that investigators discovered Sirika awarded four contracts worth about N8,069,176,864.00 to his brother’s company. Payment of N3,212,258,930.18 was said to have been made but the projects were allegedly not executed.

“He was grilled for several hours yesterday (Monday). He is providing the commission with additional useful information on the financial activities of the Aviation Ministry under the supervision of his elder brother,” the source was quoted as saying.

The contracts were awarded between August 2022 and May 2023.