Photo: Sen Hadi Sirika
Alleged N139.3bn scam: DSS arrests ex-aviation minister Sirika
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested a former Minister of Aviation under former President Muhammadu Buhari, Sen Hadi Sirika.
Sources said that Sirika is being quizzed for an alleged N139.3 billion in which he fraudulently used a repainted Ethiopian Airlines to deceive Buhari to unveil the national carrier, Air Nigeria, shortly before leaving office.
The “launch” of Nigeria Air was widely criticised as a scam.
The plane that was unveiled was discovered to be over 10 years old and had previously been operated by Ethiopian Airlines and Malawi Airlines.
It was gathered that the former Senator and ex-Reps member, arrived at the DSS headquarters for questioning, on Thursday, in Abuja, in a Range Rover SUV and was grilled for several hours by the secret police officials.
Confirming the multibillion naira scandal, the Managing Director of Nigeria Air, Captain Dapo Olumide, claimed that the plane that was unveiled was actually a chartered aircraft from Ethiopian Airlines.
Olumide told the Senate Committee on Aviation, which investigated the scam that the old Ethiopian Airlines aircraft was used to unveil the Nigeria Air logo just to scam the nation, stressing that the national carrier was not yet operational.
