Former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has dismissed claims that the establishment of the national carrier, Nigeria Air, by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari was a fraudulent venture.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Sirika, who served twice as minister, insisted that all due processes were followed in setting up the airline.
He explained that the project was conceived as a public-private partnership under the supervision of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
The former minister also refuted allegations that N100 billion was squandered on the project, stressing that only N5 billion was budgeted. According to him, N3 billion was released, while he left behind more than N1 billion upon exiting office.
Nigeria Air was unveiled at the twilight of Buhari’s administration, though many critics dismissed it as a sham.
Since leaving office in 2023, Sirika has faced legal battles over alleged contract fraud and abuse of office.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused him of awarding multi-billion-naira contracts to companies linked to his family members, including his daughter.
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