Ex-Aviation minister, Hadi Sirika grilled by DSS over Nigeria Air launch

Former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika has allegedly landed in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) over the recent launch of Nigeria Air.

According to multiple media reports, Sirika was seen at the headquarters of the secret police in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

It was gathered that he was invited for questioning and arrived at the DSS office in a Range Rover SUV. The ex-minister was said to have been grilled for several hours by DSS operatives.

The questioning comes after the acting managing director of Nigeria Air, Captain Dapo Olumide, revealed that the plane that was unveiled before the exit of the last administration in May, was a chartered aircraft from Ethiopian Airlines.

Olumide told the Senate Committee on Aviation that the aircraft was used to unveil the Nigeria Air logo but that it was not yet operational.

In related news…

Minister of Power, Sale Mamman, was arrested months ago by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N22 billion fraud.

Mamman served as minister under President Muhammadu Buhari from 2019 to 2021. He was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday, May 10 and is being detained at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.

It was said to have been in in connection with investigations into alleged corruption in the execution of some power projects.

Mamman is accused of conspiring with staff of the ministry in charge of the accounts of the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects to divert N22 billion and share among themselves.

It was gathered that the investigations uncovered properties in Nigeria and overseas allegedly linked to the suspects, while millions of naira and dollars have reportedly been recovered. Mamman was relieved of his ministerial job by President Buhari in September 2021.

According to a source, the ex-minister has been living at Transcorp Hilton in Abuja for more than three weeks on the bills of some powerful interests in the power sector.

“He has been living permanently at Transcorp Hilton since early August. His bills were being covered by elements in the power sector who were looking forward to more lucrative contracts before the bad news of his dismissal struck yesterday,” the source said.

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