Judge listens to ex-minister Sirika’s alleged voice note issuing Air Nigeria contract instructions

A Nigerian court on Tuesday heard a voice note that prosecutors allege contains former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika's instructions to award a consultancy contract to a friend. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented the recording as part of its corruption case against Sirika, who faces six charges related to a N2.8 billion aviation contract.

The voice note, played for Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja, reportedly features Sirika directing the then-Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation, Enitan Abel, to "do the right thing" and "generate the necessary contract and give it to his company." The EFCC investigator, Christopher Odofin, testified that the voice belonged to Sirika and that the company in question was Tanaero Nigeria Limited (TNL), owned by Sirika's friend, Gabriel Tilmann.

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Do the right thing. Generate the necessary contract and give it to his company. In that way, we can be paying for his services.

This contract was for consultancy services related to the controversial Nigeria Air national carrier project. The outgoing administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had unveiled the airline days before leaving office in May 2023, but it was later revealed to be a sham. Sirika, along with his daughter Fatima Sirika, her husband Jalal Hamma, and their firm Al Buraq Global Investment, have denied all allegations. The EFCC accuses them of contract fraud and conferring unfair advantages.

Defense lawyers did not deny the voice was Sirika's but reserved their objections to the admissibility of the recording for their final arguments. The voice note also included Sirika describing Tilmann as a resourceful and energetic individual who helped start airlines like Qatar Airways. The recording was reportedly sent from Spain.

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Whatever we can get, he’s quite resourceful and very energetic…So he has what it takes.