Nigeria Air Fraud — Honorable Nnolim Nnaji, a member of the House of Representatives, has responded to former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika‘s claims concerning Nigeria Air.
Speaking at a public hearing, Nnaji strongly criticized the controversial project, describing it as a fraudulent scheme. He also expressed his disapproval of the utilization of an Ethiopian Airlines’ registered aircraft during the project’s launch in May.
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On Sunday, Sirika alleged that the former House Committee Chairman on Aviation had solicited 5 percent equity shares in the national carrier. In response, Nnaji dismissed Sirika’s claims as baseless, referring to him as a desperate individual on the verge of failure. He urged Sirika to come clean and inform the public about the truth behind the Nigeria Air project.
Nnaji recalled that his committee had received numerous complaints from stakeholders following the announcement that Ethiopian Airlines would serve as the core investor. The committee requested evidence of the bid process and the business case prepared by the Nigerian Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
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Nnaji noted that Sirika had promised to provide the necessary documents but failed to do so before the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) filed a lawsuit against the Ministry, leading to a court order halting the project.
“On May 20th, 2023, I received reports of potential mass resignations among key personnel of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA),” Nnaji revealed. He explained that these resignations were prompted by pressure from the Ministry to grant waivers to Nigeria Air, allowing it to obtain an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) and commence operations before President Muhammadu Buhari’s term ends.
Nnaji emphasized that he had issued a statement warning the former Minister against undermining the authority of the NCAA, highlighting the detrimental impact such actions could have on the air transport sector. Furthermore, he refuted Sirika’s claim that Nigerian institutional investors were involved in the project, stating that all alleged participants had denied any involvement.
“It comes as no surprise that Sirika has resorted to making baseless allegations against me. I have consistently demanded that he adhere to due process, and he should not divert attention from the main issue,” Nnaji concluded.
Nigeria Air fraud has send a shocking wave to many Nigerians.
