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Alleged N2.7bn contract fraud: witness insists Sirika’s coy not on bidders’ list
An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness said that former aviation minister, Hadi Sirika’s company was not on the list of bidders for the contract for the Apron Extension project in the Katsina Airport.
The witness, Mr Isaiah Yusuf, testified as EFCC 4th witness (PW4) in the alleged N2.7 billion fraud case against Sirika and three others.
The EFCC dragged Sirika alongside his daughter, Fatima; Jalal Sule Hamma and Al-Duraq Investment Limited, for abuse of office and contract fraud.
They are standing trial before Justice Sylvanus Oriji on a six counts.
The minister who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari was accused of abusing his office as minister through the award of contracts to a company in which his daughter and husband had interest.
The offence allegedly committed by the former minister and others, according to the prosecution, were contrary to Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, to Section 17 (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004.
In addition, Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532 Acts of the Federal Capital Territory and punishable under the same sections.
Yusuf when cross examined by the 1st and 4th defendant’s counsel, Michael Numa, SAN, said Al-Duraq Global Investment Limited was not listed as bidders in the request brought to them (BPP).
Asked if he was in the Civil Infrastructure department (CID) that handled the requests, he told the court that the Director- General (DG) assigns requests to departments capable of handling such.
When asked of an endorsed letter from BPP signed by Babatunde Kuye, the Permanent secretary on behalf of the D-G of the Bureau which bore the name of the company, he said Al-Duraq Global Investment Limited was not approved.
“The evaluation did not include Al-Duraq Global Investment Limited, in our records.
Al-Duraq Global Investment Limited was not approved.
The counsel for the 1st and 4th defendants showed him the documents which were letters dated June 6 from Aviation ministry and endorsed on June 8 by BPP, and the ones to his Chambers but Oluwaleke Atolagbe, counsel for the prosecution objected.
Atolagbe told the court that the documents given to the witness to speak on were not endorsed by him, and never emanated from him.
He said the documents were not tendered before the court either.
Numa then, wanted the documents to be tendered, the prosecution objected saying, that they were just seeing it now.
“I am seeing it for the first time and my constrict is that the document is from the BPP.
“It is so hard for me to take a decision and object to the admissibility. It is safer to take a date and look at the document” Atolagbe prayed the court.
Though Numa pushed that the document be admitted Atolagbe insisted on his objection.
Other counsel in the matter did not object to the adjournment.
Subsequently, Justice Oriji adjourned until Oct. 3 for continuation of cross examination of PW4 and hearing.
The witness on July 2, when led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN, said he was director, procurement, Bureau Public Procurement (BPP).
He said on March 16, 2022 a letter came from the ministry of Aviation requesting for a letter of ‘no objection ‘ to enable them award contracts with restricted publicity.
He told the court that if the contract was below N1.5 billion, the ministerial tender board could approve it.
The witness added if above such amount, BPP would issue ‘certificate of no objection ‘ that would enable the ministry or agency request to proceed to Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval.
Yusuf further said that after the approval it goes back to the ministry or Agency that placed the request.
“The ministry of Aviation wrote two letters to BPP dated May 16 and May 17 requesting for ‘ due process no objection ‘ for restricted advertisement for bidders.
“They came with selected companies which were five in number; the contract was the building of terminal and extension of Katsina Airport.
“BPP approved the five listed companies for the contract for N800 million but Al-Duraq Global Investment Limited and Apron Expansion were not among,” he told the court.
Yusuf told the court that by the time the approval was given to the ministry, they never came back to BPP.
He said when EFCC contacted them was when (BPP) got to learn that the project was split into two at a costs of N1.4 billion and N1.3 billion.
The witness said the BPP Act; section 16(6) must be strictly adhered to before bidders can be awarded with contracts.
“The actual cost of the project brought to BPP for evaluation was N800 million and the least bidder gets the contract.
” We do not know how the project turned into two contracts and how the Al-Duraq Global Investment Limited and Apron Expansion were awarded the contract,” he said.
The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, United Bank for Africa, (UBA) Plc, Oliver Alawuba has been appointed as the Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) Body of Banks’ CEOs.
The CIBN announced this appointment on its website on Monday, July 8, 2024.
This prestigious appointment underscores Alawuba’s extensive experience and visionary leadership in the banking sector, as well as his unwavering commitment towards advancing the financial industry in Nigeria and across Africa.
In his role as Chairman, Alawuba will be at the forefront of fostering collaboration and driving strategic initiatives among the top executives of banks in Nigeria.
Like he has achieved as the GMD of Africa’s Global Bank, UBA, his leadership is expected to bring innovative solutions and strengthen the collective efforts of the banking community while addressing the dynamic challenges and opportunities within the financial sector.
The CIBN also announced the appointment of Mrs. Miriam Olusanya, the CEO of GTBank, as the Vice Chairman of the Body of Banks’ CEOs. Her appointment, alongside Alawuba’s, signifies a strong and unified leadership team poised to enhance the banking landscape in Nigeria.
UBA extends its heartfelt congratulations to Alawuba and Olusanya on their appointment and the Bank is confident that their combined expertise and visionary leadership will usher in a new era of progress and innovation for the banking industry in Nigeria, and that under their guidance, the Body of Banks’ CEOs will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping policies and strategies that will drive sustainable economic growth and enhance the overall stability of the financial system in Nigeria.
…says work to begin on Alagbole-Ajuwon, Akute-Ajuwon Roads, others soon-Abiodun
The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Monday, gave a matching order to the contractor handling the construction of Denro-Ishashi-Akute road to ensure the completion of the project within two weeks.
The governor also disclosed that work would begin on the Alagbole-Ajuwon and Akute-Ajuwon road in Ifo Local Government Area of the state soon.
Other roads, whose contracts are to be awarded soon include Hercules Giwa (Oke Aro Rd), some section of Akute- Ijoko road, and the road leading to Yakoyo.
The governor, who made this known during an on-the-spot assessment of roads in the local government, assured residents that his administration would also construct a brand new Primary Health Care Centre for them.
Prince Abiodun said the construction of the Denro-Ishashi-Akute Road started almost three years ago, adding that the contractor must mobilise to site immediately and ensure the completion of the project in two weeks.
He recalled his promise to ensure equitable provision of infrastructures across the state, adding that this is being followed religiously.
He said his administration has ensured that road construction is evenly spread across the 20 local governments in the state.
“My pledge is that I have come here today to see things for myself. There are two roads that are considerably important to our people.
“First of all, the Denro-Ishashi-Akute road, I have given the contractor a matching order that the road must be completed in the next two weeks, asphalt and the bridge.
“I want to assure you all that it is your time now. It is your right. You voted for us. I am a promise keeping governor. I will not make empty promises.
“Now, within the next two weeks, maximum three weeks, active construction will start on Alagbole-Ajuwon and Akute-Ajuwon roads.
“Today, here, we’ve reconstructed Olusegun Osoba-Toyin Street, Denro-Ishashi-Akute is under construction. We have so many other roads we’ve constructed here. But because there is so much deficit in the infrastructural development in this area, at times, it appears as if we are not reconstructing them as fast as they want us to.
“The Primary Health Care Centre here, I will reconstruct it. I have told Hon. Fola Salami and the Commissioner (health) to look for a land for me here because I will build a new one for you. I want to build a brand new Primary Health Care Centre that is befitting for Ajuwon-Alagbole-Akute,” he said.
Governor Abiodun, while noting that his administration owes everyone equitable infrastructure development, added that the deficit that he met on the assumption of office made him wonder what the previous administrations were doing.
Noting that although the past administration had very good intentions for the people of the state, Governor Abiodun, however, bemoaned why projects were abandoned after structures had been demolished and single carriageways were turned into dual carriageways,
He said: “When I assumed office on the 29th of May, 2019, the deficit that we met on assumption of office was such that we began to wonder what the previous administration was doing.
“In some instances, they appear to have good intentions, they go to the roads, they demolished houses, roads that should not be more than a single carriageway, they turned them to dual carriageway By so doing, they removed all the asphalt that was there serving the people and abandoned these roads.
“We inherited quite a lot of these roads. Some of those roads are federal roads, and you know our people cannot differentiate between federal and state. They will geo-locate their pains where and when they are feeling it.”
He stated further that his administration had to draw up a priority list taking into consideration vehicular traffic and economic impact of some of the roads it had embarked upon till date, adding that his administration would continue to put the people first.
“Let me give you an example of the road that goes from Agbara-Atan-Lusada road. When I assumed office, trailers carrying containers were falling off on that road. That is the road that leads to the biggest industrial estate not just in Nigeria but one of the biggest in Africa.
“It is a road that counts for hundreds of thousands of employees and employers. So, it is important for us in Ogun State. I had to prioritize it, and it is a federal road.
“So, we have to draw up a priority list and the priority list amongst others factored in the vehicular traffic, the economic impact.
“Ijebu-Ode-Epe road is a road that evacuates people from the Lekki corridor to the Eastern flank of Nigeria. That road was non-existent. I had to prioritize that road. Sagamu-Abeokuta Road, the road leading to the state capital, was not good. People were dying. I had to prioritize that road, another federal road, and so many other roads.
“Today we can brag and say not only have we constructed 600 kilometers of highway or roads, both inter-state, intra-state, inner-city roads, but, I beat my chest that there is no local government in Ogun State today that does not have at least one or two roads that we have reconstructed in the last five years and that is in line with been equitable and fair,” he said.
Abiodun called on those who derive pleasure in only reporting negative stories to, as a matter of fact, also learn to report about the over 600 kilometres of road constructed by his administration.
UBA GMD appointed Chairman, CIBN body of Banks’ CEOs
Abiodun sets 2 weeks deadline for completion of Denro/Ishashi/Akute road
