Alleged N19.4bn Faud: BPP Director Testifies Against ex-Aviation Minister
By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
A Director of Certification, Compliance and Monitoring at the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Mr. Isaiah Yesufu, has testified against former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika in the ongoing alleged N19.4bn contract fraud trial.
Yesufu, a prosecution witness, who was led into evidence at the trial of the former minister on Monday, 7 April 2025.
Sirika and his brother Ahmad and two companies are being charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
with abuse of office and contract fraud.
They are being prosecuted on a 10-count charge before Justice Suleiman Belgore, bordering on abuse of office, criminal breach of trust, and use of position for gratification.
The anti-graft commission alleged that the former minister awarded various contracts to his younger brother to the tune of about N19.4 billion.
The EFCC alleged that Sirika did confer an unfair advantage upon Enginos Nigeria Limited whose alter ego is his biological brother, Ahmad, by using his position to influence the award of a contract for the construction of a terminal building at Katsina Airport to tune of N1,345,586,500.
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.
Testifying, Yesufu told the court that a bidder for any contract must submit an affidavit stating that the company does not have any relationship with the procuring entity.
“If there is a relationship this shall amount to a conflict of interest and should be disclosed. The affected officer of either the procuring entity or the BPP will recuse himself from participating in the process (of award of contract),” Yesufu told the court.
He said that in the case of the award of a contract for the construction of a terminal building for the Katsina airport, the Ministry of Aviation sought approval to adopt a restricted tendering method due to time constraints.
He added that approval was granted in favour of five companies, including Enginos Nigeria Limited.
Yesufu further told the court that after the approval was granted, the ministry completed the procurement process and awarded two contracts.
“One of the contracts was in favour of Enginos, and the second was in favour of Al-Buraq according to him.
“The Bureau was not aware how a single contract, titled, “Construction of Katsina airport terminal building and Apron was eventually awarded as two separate contracts”, Yesufu said, stating that he became aware of the split of the contract when he was invited by EFCC, where he made the statement.
The witness told the court that Enginos Nigeria Limited was awarded the contract to construct the Katsina airport terminal building at a cost of N1345 586 500.
The prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), at this point, prayed for an adjournment to enable him to sort out some documents, to which the other parties did not object.
Justice Belgore subsequently, adjourned until April 8 to continue PW3’s evidence.
