Crime
EFCC Witness Reveals To Court How Sirika Allegedly Inflated Katsina Airport Project From N800m To N2.7bn
EFCC Witness Reveals To Court How Sirika Allegedly Inflated Katsina Airport Project From N800m To N2.7bn
EFCC witness reveals to court how Sirika allegedly inflated Katsina airport project from N800m to N2.7bn. Mr Yesufu stated, “For a contract that is up to N2.7billion, it will require the bureau to review what the ministry has done and issue a certificate of no objection.’’
An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ‘s witness told an Abuja high Court how contract for the construction of the terminal building at Katsina Airport was inflated from N800 million to N2.7 billion.
The witness, a Director of Certification, Compliance and Monitoring at the Bureau of Public Procurement, Isaiah Yesufu, made this known while giving evidence before Justice Suleiman Belgore in the trial of former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika.
Ms Yesufu told the court that N800 million was budgeted for the construction of terminal building and apron expansion at the Katsina airport as a single project but was eventually awarded for N2.7 billion as two separate projects.
The EFCC charged Mr Sirika alongside his brother, Ahmad Abubakar and two companies, Al-Buraq Limited and Enginos Nigeria Limited with 10 counts bordering on abuse of office, criminal breach of trust, use of position for gratification.
The anti-graft commission alleged that the former minister awarded various contracts to his younger brother to the tune of about N19.4 billion.
The anti-corruption commission had alleged that Mr Sirika did confer unfair advantage upon Enginos Nigeria Limited whose alter ego is his biological brother, Ahmad, by using his position to influence the award of contract for the construction of a terminal building at Katsina Airport for the sum of N1,345,586,500.
The EFCC further alleged that the former minister used his position to influence the award of contract for the establishment of Fire Truck Maintenance and Refurbishment Centre at Katsina Airport for the sum of N3,811,497,685.
It also, among others, alleged that Ahmad and Enginos Nigeria Limited had possession of the aggregate sum of N2,337,840,674.16 which they knew indirectly represented the proceeds of criminal conduct of the former minister.
The defendants however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN, Mr Yesufu told the court that he became aware that the single project the BPP approved was eventually awarded as two separate projects by the Ministry of Aviation at the EFCC headquarters.
According to him, the projects were construction of a terminal building at the Katsina airport, awarded to Enginos Nigeria Limited at about N1.3 billion, while the expansion of the apron at the airport was awarded to Al-Buraq at the cost of N1.4 billion.
He told the court that the aviation ministry made a request of no objection for the construction of terminal building and apron expansion to BPP as a single request.
“The request by the ministry was in writing. It was two requests. The reply was also in writing,” Mr Yesufu said.
The prosecution counsel tendered the two separate requests from the ministry and the BPP’s response as exhibits, which were admitted and marked as exhibits in the case.
Asked to read from the requests for certificate of no objection from the ministry to BPP, Mr Yesufu narrated thus;
He said, “The ministry requested for the no objection for terminal building and apron expansion at Katsina airport, adding that five companies, including Enginos Nigeria Limited, were listed for participation in the selected bidding process.”
He added that N800 million was budgeted for the single project of construction of terminal building and apron expansion at the airport.
The witness told the court that for a contract that was above the approval threshold of the ministerial tender’s board, the ministry ought to require the BPP to review what it (ministry) had done and a certificate of no objection would then be issued by the bureau.
“For a contract that is up to N2.7billion, it will require the bureau to review what the ministry has done and issue a certificate of no objection.
EFCC
This will enable the ministry to proceed to the Federal Executive Council to approve such a project because it is above the power of the ministerial tender’s board of the ministry. The approval limit of the tender’s board is anything less than N1.5billion” he said.
He then told the court that the aviation ministry did not request for a certificate of no objection in respect of the construction of terminal building and apron expansion and the bureau did not issue a certificate of no objection (for the project).
He further told the court that the political head of the ministry was the minister.
He added that in line with the Public Procurement Act, 2007 as amended by the Finance Act, 2020, the approval of the tender’s board was subject “to the confirmation of the political head provided he is not a member of the tenders board.” He explained that a public servant is not allowed to bid for any contract.
After his evidence, Justice Belgore, on the request of the defendants, adjourned until June 3 for cross examination of the PW3.
EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video
EFCC arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for alleged naira mutilation in viral video. The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 arrested a Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa over alleged Naira mutilation.
Inuwa was arrested following a viral video circulated on social media platforms where she was seen conspicuously cleaning mucus from her nose using Naira notes.
EFCC
Following the release of the viral video, the Commission swung into action by tracing and subsequently arrested her to answer questions.
She is currently being held at the Commission’s detention facility while investigation is ongoing.
The suspect will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
Dele Oyewale
Head, Media & Publicity
February 3, 2026
EFCC Arrests 10 Suspects, Trucks for Suspected Illegal Mining Activities in Kwara
Operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested ten individuals suspected of involvement in illegal mining activities along the Ilorin – Ogbomosho axis.
They were arrested on Sunday, February 1, 2026, following credible intelligence on unlawful mineral excavation and transportation in parts of Kwara and Oyo States.
The suspects, comprising nine truck drivers and one escort were intercepted and taken into custody in a well -coordinated sting operation. Solid minerals arrested with the suspects include lithium, tin, and lepidolite.
EFCC Arrests 10 Suspects
The suspects have no requisite licences, permits, or regulatory approvals for their mining activities.
Other items recovered from the suspects are trucks loaded with the unlawfully mined materials.
The suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
List Of 40 Suspects Detained Over Alleged Plot To Overthrow Tinubu Government
List of 40 suspects detained over alleged plot to overthrow Tinubu Government. Nigerian security agencies have concluded investigations into an alleged coup plot to overthrow President Bola Tinubu’s administration, with at least 40 suspects detained in connection with the conspiracy.
The suspects include senior military officers, a police officer, and several civilians accused of roles ranging from reconnaissance and funding to propaganda.
According to a Premium Times report, the arrests followed a covert intelligence operation coordinated by the Army Headquarters and the State Security Service (SSS).
“Thirteen people were apprehended by the SSS, including two military personnel (one retired), one policeman, and ten civilians,” one source said.
In total, 16 serving military officers were detained for direct involvement, while others were linked to funding and incitement. Two civilians were reportedly recruited to incite civil unrest intended to justify the coup.
According to the online newspaper, one of the detained soldiers was said to have escaped custody but was later rearrested by SSS operatives in Bauchi State, according to insider accounts.
Recall that on Monday, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) confirmed that the investigation had been completed and forwarded to “appropriate superior authority in line with extant regulations.”
“Findings identified several officers with allegations of plotting to overthrow the government,” the military said, describing the act as “inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards required of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
Sources said authorities are now awaiting presidential approval to constitute a court-martial panel to try the indicted soldiers.
Investigations revealed that the coupists initially planned to disrupt the May 29, 2023 handover ceremony from former President Muhammadu Buhari to President Tinubu, but the plan was shelved due to lack of funds and logistics.
The conspiracy was allegedly reactivated in 2025, after former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva purportedly transferred nearly ₦1 billion through multiple Bureau De Change accounts to fund the operation.
Sylva and a retired senior officer identified as Major General Adamu, both accused of bankrolling the plot, are reportedly at large.
Security sources said one of the fugitive suspects has been tracked to a South American country, though his precise location remained undisclosed for security reasons.
Investigators also uncovered a chilling plan to assassinate top government officials, including President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
“They were waiting for a day when all of them would be in the country. Wherever they were, they would be assassinated,” one source revealed.
The plot allegedly relied on informants inside the Presidential Villa, who monitored the movements of top officials. The conspirators were to seize control of strategic locations such as the Presidential Villa, Niger Barracks, Armed Forces Complex, and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
Military
Hereunder is the full list of the alleged coupists arrested
MA Sadiq (Brigadier General) Army lHeadquarters Garrison
MA Ma’aji (Colonel) Defence Space Administration
S Bappah (Lt. Colonel) 525 Signal Regiment
AA Hayatu (Lt Colonel) 130 Battalion Main, Ogoja, Cross River State
P Dangnap (Lt Colonel) 134 Special Force Battalion
M Almakura (Lt Colonel) 197 Special Force Battalion
AA Jarma (Lt Colonel) CO, 35 Battalion Katsina
SM Gana (Lt Colonel) 115 Task Force Battalion
AD Dauda (Maj) Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji
JM GANAKS (Maj) Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji
AJ Ibrahim (Maj) Army Headquarters’ Department of Policy and Plans
MM Jiddah (Maj) 26 Battalion
MA Usman (Maj) 35 Battalion
D Yusuf (Maj) Forward Operating Base Molai (AHQ SG)
J Iliyasu (Maj) 3 Division Garrison
A Mohammed (Maj) 63 Brigade Garrison
DB Abdullahi (Lt Cdr) Naval Base Abuja
SB Adamu (Sqn Ldr) National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC)
NG Zuzu (Sqn Ldr) Headquarters, Nigeria Air Force Camp
G Binuga (Captain) 1 NMF Brigade
AA Yusuf (Captain) Nigerian Army of the School of Finance and Administration (NASFA)
1 Bello (Captain) 82 Division Garrison
SS Felix (Lt) 81 Division Provost Group
J Aminu (Lt) Headquarters Directorate of Army Public Relations (DAPR)
Nasiru Ibrahim (WO) 82 Division Garrison
Sanda Usman (Sgt) 167 Special Force Battalion
Mohammed Zubairu (Sgt) 177 Guards Battalion
Momoh Audu (Cpl) 343 Artillery Regiment
Ahmed Ibrahim (Inspector) 24 Police Mobile Force, Presidential Villa
EO Victor (Navy Capt/Rtd) 3 Abraham Avenue off Odili Road, Port Harcourt
Umoru Zekeri Julius Berger, Villa Electrician
Y Nasiru (LCpl) 82 Division Garrison
Sambo Danladi (LCpl) 82 Division Garrison
Abdul Abdullahi (SSgt) 82 Division Garrison
Ali Isah Villa Ambulance Driver
ML Mohammed (Capt) 18 Battalion
UI Yusuf (Wg Cdr) International/Helicopter Flying School, Enugu
IM Gana (Maj Gen Rtd) No 34 A Army Estate, Kubwa, Abuja
Stanley Kingley Amandi Propagandist
Goni Bukar
Security sources confirmed that joint operations involving multiple agencies are underway to dismantle remaining cells and track fleeing suspects. The EFCC and SSS are also interrogating several civilians over alleged roles in funding, logistics, and coordination.
At least 25 military personnel are expected to face trial in connection with the plot, according to sources close to the investigation.
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