A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted ₦100m bail each to a former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, his daughter, and two others.
Delivering his ruling in the case, Justice Sylvanus Oriji, said the sureties must have landed properties in Abuja and also responsible citizens.
“Bail is granted to each of the defendants 1st, 2nd and 3rd in sum of N100 million with two sureties.
“The sureties shall be responsible citizens of the Federal republic of Nigeria, who are ordinarily resident in the Federal Capital Territory.
“Each surety shall have landed property within Abuja municipal Area council covered by a valued certificate of occupancy issued by the FCT minister.
“The residential addresses of the sureties shall be verified by the Registrar of the court.
“Each surety shall dispose to a affidavit of means.
“The 1st to the 3rd defendants shall not travel out of the country while the charge is pending without the permission of the court.”
Justice Oriji added that if any of the three defendants were unable to fulfill the condition of the bail, he or she shall be remanded in the Correctional service.
He then adjourned until June 10 for commencement of trial.
Recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had arraigned Mr Sirika, his daughter Fatima, Jalal Hamma and Al-Duraq Investment Ltd, for abuse of office to the tune of N2.7billion.
Mr Sirika was invited by the Abuja Zonal Command of the commission on the alleged contract malfeasance and was promptly interrogated and detained at the Formella Street, Wuse 2 Zonal office of the Commission.
“The former minister (Sirika) was invited for questioning by investigators handling the alleged contract frauds under his watch in the ministry.
“He honoured the invitation and has been detained as I am talking with you,” a source in the EFCC who pleaded anonymity disclosed.
The source also said that EFCC had been investigating the alleged contract frauds while the minister was in office, and he had even met with investigators before he was detained.
According to the court, the sureties must have landed properties in Abuja and also responsible citizens.
