Sirika Trial: Nigeria Air Aircraft Chartered From Ethiopian Airlines for 3-Day Display – EFCC Witness

An investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has told the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja that the aircraft unveiled as Nigeria Air in May 2023 was not owned by the proposed national carrier but was instead chartered from Ethiopian Airlines for a brief three-day promotional display.

The witness, Christopher Odofin, the 12th prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, gave the testimony on Wednesday before Justice Sylvanus Oriji.

The EFCC is prosecuting Sirika on a six-count amended charge bordering on alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of over ₦2 billion connected to the Nigeria Air project. Also listed as defendants are his daughter, Fatima Sirika; his son-in-law, Hamma Jalal Sule; and their company, Al Buraq Global Investment Limited.

Odofin told the court that investigators obtained documents from Ethiopian Airlines showing that the aircraft used for the Nigeria Air unveiling was strictly provided for a short-term static display in Abuja.

According to the agreement read in court, the aircraft departed Addis Ababa on May 26, 2023, arrived in Abuja on May 27, remained for display until May 28, and departed Nigeria again on May 29, 2023. He quoted portions of the agreement, noting that the aircraft was positioned in Abuja for a temporary branding exercise and later returned to Ethiopia after the display period.

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The EFCC witness further explained that the arrangement included Ethiopian Airlines crew operating the flight in their uniforms, while Nigerian organisers were permitted to stage a ceremonial presentation using models dressed in Nigeria Air branding uniforms. He added that the deal was signed on May 24, 2023, just days before the end of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration on May 29, 2023.

Odofin also told the court that investigators believe the timing of the Nigeria Air unveiling was deliberately arranged to coincide with the end of Sirika’s tenure as Aviation Minister. He stated that the aircraft remained in Abuja for less than 72 hours before the Nigeria Air livery was removed and the plane was returned to Addis Ababa.

The EFCC said it obtained supporting documents from Ethiopian Airlines through a formal request dated June 12, 2023, as part of its investigation into the controversial national carrier project.

The prosecution also tendered multiple exhibits, including documents and a compact disc allegedly containing a voice note linked to Sirika. The exhibits were admitted without objection from the defence team, while the prosecution applied for the voice recording to be played at the next hearing.

The case was adjourned for continuation before Justice Oriji, as the court proceeds with hearing further testimony in the ongoing trial over alleged financial misconduct linked to the Nigeria Air project.

Senate Vacates Mele Kyari Arrest Warrant, Disowns Oshiomhole’s Remarks on NNPCL

The Senate has withdrawn the arrest warrant earlier issued against former NNPCL GCEO Mele Kyari and formally distanced itself from comments made by Senator Adams Oshiomhole describing the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) as “a bunch of criminals and thieves.”

The development marks a significant twist in the ongoing Senate probe into the financial records and transactions of the state-owned oil company, particularly audit queries linked to an alleged ₦210 trillion discrepancy in NNPCL accounts between 2017 and 2023.

The arrest warrant had been issued by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts after lawmakers expressed frustration over Kyari’s repeated failure to appear before the panel investigating the audit observations. The committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, adopted a motion sponsored by Senator Victor Umeh, who argued that the investigation could not continue indefinitely without the appearance of key individuals involved in the management of the company during the period under review.

According to Umeh, Nigerians deserve answers regarding questions raised in the audited financial statements of the national oil company, insisting that the committee had exhausted all reasonable efforts to secure Kyari’s attendance.

However, the Senate has now clarified that the warrant was not a resolution of the entire upper legislative chamber but a decision taken by the Public Accounts Committee in the course of its investigation. Sources within the National Assembly indicated that the Senate leadership moved to correct public perception and underscore that committee actions should not automatically be interpreted as decisions of the full Senate.

The controversy intensified during the committee hearing when Senator Tony Nwoye informed lawmakers that Kyari was receiving medical treatment in Germany and was therefore unable to attend the session.

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Nwoye told the committee that he had spoken with the former NNPCL chief about a week earlier and that Kyari had initially indicated his willingness to appear before lawmakers. According to him, he later learned that Kyari had been hospitalized abroad, a development that prevented his attendance.

The disclosure sparked a heated exchange within the committee as Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi accused Nwoye of appearing to defend the former NNPCL boss. Nwoye rejected the allegation, insisting that he was merely providing information available to him and was not acting as Kyari’s representative.

Following the issuance of the warrant, Kyari responded through a letter addressed to the committee chairman, maintaining that he never deliberately ignored the Senate’s invitation.

The former NNPCL boss explained that he had formally communicated his medical condition to the committee in a letter dated May 11, 2026, notifying lawmakers that he was undergoing treatment outside Nigeria. He stated that he remained willing to appear before the committee immediately upon his return to the country.

Kyari also claimed that he had not received some of the invitations reportedly sent to him by the committee and stressed that he would have honoured any invitation that reached him.

Meanwhile, the Senate committee continued its hearing with testimony from former NNPCL Chief Finance Officer, Umar Ajiya Isa, who strongly rejected claims that ₦210 trillion was missing from NNPCL accounts.

According to Ajiya, reports suggesting that such an amount had disappeared were based on a misunderstanding of accounting entries and financial classifications contained in the company’s audited reports.

He explained that NNPCL generated approximately ₦54.5 trillion in revenue during the period under review, making claims of a ₦210 trillion shortfall mathematically impossible.

Ajiya stated that the disputed figures largely related to accounting entries involving accrued expenses and receivables recorded across various entities within the company’s structure. He insisted that all transactions were properly documented and could be verified through existing financial records.

The former finance chief also dismissed allegations that NNPCL spent ₦5.8 billion on its transition from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited. According to him, the actual cost was about ₦2.9 billion, paid directly to government agencies including the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

The Senate investigation stems from audit queries raised by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation regarding the financial operations of NNPCL between 2017 and 2023. Lawmakers are currently examining 19 separate audit issues covering receivables, accrued expenses and other financial transactions.

Adding to the controversy were comments reportedly made by Senator Oshiomhole during Wednesday’s proceedings. The former Edo State governor was quoted as describing the NNPCL as “a bunch of criminals and thieves” and allegedly demanded that Kyari be brought before the committee “dead or alive.”

The remarks drew widespread reactions and prompted a response from NNPCL, which defended its integrity and rejected any suggestion that the organisation was involved in criminal activities.

In distancing itself from the comments, the Senate emphasized that Oshiomhole’s statements reflected his personal views and should not be construed as the official position of the Red Chamber.

With the arrest warrant now withdrawn, attention is expected to shift back to the substance of the ongoing investigation as lawmakers continue efforts to resolve questions surrounding the audit observations and financial records of Nigeria’s national oil company.