A witness for the prosecution in the ongoing trial of former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, has told the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja that the former minister failed to comply with procurement regulations in the award of consultancy contracts related to the Nigeria Air project.

The witness, Christopher Odofin, an investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), made the allegation on Wednesday while testifying before Justice S.C. Oriji.

Sirika is facing trial 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 involving alleged abuse of office and the misappropriation of more than N2 billion in public funds.

Testifying as the 12th prosecution witness, Odofin told the court that Sirika approved a consultancy contract worth N299 million in favour of Tianaero Nigeria Limited for services connected to Nigeria Air. He further alleged that the former minister later authorised an additional N599 million contract extension for the same company without adhering to the required procurement process.

According to the witness, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development had written to the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) on March 7, 2022, requesting a Certificate of No Objection for the engagement of consultants. However, the contract award letter was issued to Tianaero Nigeria Limited on April 4, 2022, before the ministry received a response from the BPP.

Odofin told the court that the contract was awarded before the regulatory approval process was completed. He also alleged that the BPP was not notified of the subsequent N599 million contract extension granted to the company.

The EFCC investigator further testified that Tianaero Nigeria Limited, owned by German national Gabriel Tilmann, whom he described as a close associate of Sirika, received full payment for both contracts.

According to his testimony, the initial N299 million contract was paid in four instalments between May and July 2022 through the company's Access Bank account, while the N599 million extension was settled in two tranches between October and December 2022 through its Guaranty Trust Bank account.

Despite the payments, Odofin claimed there was limited evidence of significant deliverables or measurable outcomes from the Nigeria Air project.

He also informed the court that Tianaero Nigeria Limited was incorporated with the Corporate Affairs Commission on March 29, 2021, approximately one year before the contracts were awarded.

Proceedings were briefly interrupted when the prosecution attempted to play a compact disc allegedly containing a verbal directive from Sirika instructing the ministry's permanent secretary to ensure the contracts were awarded to Tianaero Nigeria Limited. The recording could not be played due to technical issues, and its presentation was deferred until the next hearing.

Justice Oriji subsequently adjourned the matter to July 8 and 9, 2026, for the continuation of trial.