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From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
The Concerned Northern Forum (CNF) said it called for the arrest and investigation of former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika over the Nigerian Air “scandal” to serve as a deterrent to other public servants who may want to take the country for granted.
The Chairman of the Forum, Ali Muhammad said his organisation was yet to unravel the real reason for the ex-minister’s rush to launch the anticipated air carrier when all modalities were yet to be in place, thereby exposing the country to unnecessary public ridicule.
According to Ali, the recent revelation by the interim MD of the so-called “Nigerian Airline” Captain Dapo Olumide, that the Nigeria Air aircraft used for the unveiling of the Nigeria Air was rented from Ethiopian Airline, “no wonder why the unveiling was quick with no details made available”.
*This explains why the Minister was so adamant and insisted on going ahead with the unveiling of the Nigerian Air even when there was a court order acting against that same matter, because it’s a half baked project, driven by lies, deception, corruption and personal money benefits to the Minister amounting to billions of Naira.
“This is deception and breach of trust that should not go unpunished, Hadi Sirika must be brought to face the law.
It is also a disregard for the rule of law and the entire justice system to proceed on matter against the order of a competent court of law.
“The Minister has acted with so much impunity on several occasions as if the law cannot get to him, he has continuously operated as a tyrant Minister, refusing to listen to no one, the aviation experts, Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, who advised against this project.
“This national embarrassment and waste of resources incurred on the country would have been averted if he had listened to pieces of advice, yet Sirika went ahead knowing it was a charade, to deceive Nigerians and pocket billions for himself.
“This is a fraud, very much within the reach of the EFCC and the anti-graft agency should as a matter of national urgency immediately arrest and investigate Sirika for committing financial and other related crimes, as he has been deceiving Nigerians for eight years and now he is lobbying for Ministerial appointment.
“We therefore caution and kindly call on President Tinubu to not consider him for a minister or any appointment in his administration, rather he should be behind bars for siphoning public wealth and covering it with more lies and deception”, Ali said.
