The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a fresh eight-count charge against Hadi Sirika, former minister of aviation, as regards an alleged contract fraud.

The former minister will appear before S.B. Belgore, a judge of a federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Abuja, on Tuesday to be charged alongside his brother, Ahmad Abubakar, and Enginos Nigeria Limited, a business controlled by Abubakar.

It is stated that by giving contracts to Enginos Nigeria Limited, Sirika misused his position of authority.

Sirika is currently on trial for six counts that relate to the same conduct. On May 9, he was charged with a N2.7 billion contract scam along with his daughter Fatima, son-in-law Jalal Hamma, and Al-Duraq Investment Limited.

All the defendants pleaded not guilty and were also granted bail in the sum of N100 million each.

Sirika was the aviation minister in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari from 2019 to 2023.

The anti-graft agency began investigating the alleged contract fraud against Sirika while he was still in office.

He also reportedly met with investigators at the time.

The EFCC had reportedly detained Sirika on April 23, pending his arraignment.

The case, which is before Sylvanus Oriji, a judge of an FCT high court, has been adjourned to June 10, 11, and 20 for trial.

The federal executive council (FEC) says all new vehicles, generators or tricycles procured by the government and its agencies must be powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), solar or electric.

Among the significant decisions made during the FEC meeting on Monday was this one.

Sources claim that the decision had an impact on fresh demands made by the shipper’s council, an organisation related to the marine and blue economy, and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

According to the sources, customs and the shipper’s council had applied for permission to purchase several hundred gasoline-powered operating cars.

Also, a request by the federal capital territory (FCT) to buy petrol generators was approved, however, the council insisted the generators must be powered by CNG or solar.

Likewise, the government also expects agencies to begin to convert petrol and diesel vehicles or generators to CNG.

On April 21, the presidency said it would launch the CNG initiative ahead of the first anniversary of Tinubu’s administration on May 29.

The presidency said the presidential CNG initiative (PCNGI), in collaboration with the private sector, will deliver 100 conversion workshops and 60 refuelling sites across 18 states before year-end.

Also, on July 31, 2023, Tinubu said his administration made provision to invest N100 billion between then and March 2024 to acquire 3,000 units of 20-seater buses powered by CNG.

Two months later, the federal government announced value-added tax (VAT) would be waived on CNG bus purchases, with plans to waive duty on parts.

Former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, is scheduled to be charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday before an FCT High Court for authorising the manufacture of N684.5 million naira notes at a cost of N18.96 billion.

The court and the parties worked together to reschedule the arraignment before Justice Maryann Anenih, which was first set for April 30, 2024.

In the four-count charge filed against former CBN governor, the EFCC alleged that Emefiele disobeyed the direction of law with intent to cause injury to the public during his implementation of the Naira swap policy of the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The anti-graft agency also accused Emefiele of unlawfully approving the withdrawal of N124.8 billion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the Federation.

This arraignment will bring to three the number of court cases instituted by the EFCC or the Office of the AGF against the former CBN governor.

Recall that on November 17, 2023, Emefiele was arraigned before Justice Hamza Muazu of FCT High Court on a six-count charge of procurement fraud, to which he pleaded not guilty.