A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, on Wednesday told the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja that an aircraft owned by Ethiopian Airlines was allegedly presented to Nigerians as the proposed national carrier, Nigeria Air, shortly before the end of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The witness, Christopher Odofin, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), made the disclosure while testifying before Justice S.C. Oriji as the 12th prosecution witness in the case involving allegations of abuse of office and the misappropriation of more than N2 billion in public funds.

Sirika is being tried alongside his daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika; his son-in-law, Hamma Jalal Sule; and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited on an amended six-count charge brought by the EFCC.

According to Odofin, investigations revealed that the aircraft unveiled as Nigeria Air at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on May 27, 2023, was chartered from Ethiopian Airlines solely for a ceremonial display and was not intended for the commencement of operations of a functional national carrier.

He told the court that the aircraft, painted in Nigeria Air colours and branding, arrived in Abuja three days before the end of the Buhari administration and departed for Addis Ababa on the morning of May 29, 2023, the day President Bola Tinubu was inaugurated.

While reading from documents obtained during the investigation, Odofin said the charter agreement clearly stipulated that the aircraft would remain in Abuja for a static display of the Nigeria Air livery between May 27 and May 28 before returning to Ethiopia.

“The aircraft will stay at Abuja airport for static display of Nigeria Air livery until May 28, 2023, and leave early morning on May 29, 2023,” the witness quoted from the agreement.

The agreement, he said, further indicated that the flight would be operated by Ethiopian Airlines crew members in the airline’s uniforms, while locally engaged models dressed in Nigeria Air uniforms would participate in ceremonial photographs.

Odofin alleged that the arrangement was timed to coincide with the conclusion of Sirika’s tenure as aviation minister and was intended to create the impression that the long-awaited national carrier had become operational.

He further testified that the EFCC established that the charter agreement with Ethiopian Airlines was executed on May 24, 2023—just five days before the minister left office—and was solely for the temporary display of the Nigeria Air brand.

The witness also disclosed that the anti-graft agency obtained relevant documents from Ethiopian Airlines in response to a request for information dated June 12, 2023.

In a separate aspect of his testimony, Odofin told the court that a contract relating to the establishment of Nigeria Air was awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited on April 4, 2022, for more than N299 million and was subsequently increased to over N599 million.

According to him, investigators uncovered communications suggesting that Sirika personally directed the award of the contract to the company.

“The investigating team arrived at this position after analysing the phone of a former Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Enitan Muyiwa Abel, which contained a voice note allegedly sent by the first defendant from Spain directing that the contract be awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited,” he said.

Odofin further alleged that Tianaero Nigeria Limited was linked to Gabriel Tilmann, whom he described as a close associate of the former minister.

During the proceedings, the prosecution tendered several documents and exhibits, including a compact disc containing a voice note allegedly made by Sirika. The court admitted the exhibit without objection from the defence.

Justice Oriji subsequently adjourned the matter until June 17, 2026, for the continuation of the trial and the playing of the audio recording in open court.

The allegations remain subject to judicial determination, and the defendants have not been convicted of any offence.