Former aviation minister Hadi Sirika says he spent only some of the N3 billion then-President Muhammadu Buhari released to him to float a national carrier, Nigeria Air. The embattled ex-minister also accused the House of Representatives of demanding a five per cent kickback.

Mr Sirika stated this Sunday on Arise TV.

According to him, from 2016 to 2023, the budget for Nigeria Air was N5 billion, and only N3 billion was released, and to date, the money has yet to be completely spent.

He claimed the government did not pay a dime for Nigeria Air to come for the unveiling on May 26.

“It is ridiculous to think that we’ll hire and paint an aircraft for N138 billion, which could get us five new Boeing 777 Max,” Mr Sirika explained. “We are responsible people, and the general public should approach the ministry of information and apply for the right of information to see for themselves.”

The embattled ex-aviation minister revealed that “the house committee chairman on aviation (Nnolim Nnaji) asked for five per cent of Nigeria Air for himself and his people. I asked him to approach the owners of the airline.”

According to him, former President Olusegun Obasanjo handed Nigeria Airways to his friend’s company, Arik Air, which is indebted to over N300 billion, of which Nigeria taxpayers’ money is N250 billion via AMCON.

“So, do we hand it over to Arik?” he asked. 

Mr Sirika announced in November 2021 that Nigeria’s national airline, Nigeria Air, would begin operations by April 2022. Then in March 2023, Mr Sirika gave assurances the national carrier Nigeria Air would take to the sky before May 29.

By June this year, embroiled in a scandal, the House of Representatives urged President Bola Tinubu to constitute a high-level presidential committee to undertake a holistic review of the process of the Nigeria Air project.

(NAN)