Former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has spent his second night in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over an ongoing N8,069,176,864.00 money laundering probe.

This was as the anti-graft commission began a probe into the alleged fraud in the botched Nigeria Air project.

According to PUNCH, top EFCC unnamed sources privy to the interrogation but were not authorized to speak publicly confirmed that the EFCC interrogators grilled Mr. Sirika over the botched Nigeria Air project that has stirred controversy across the country.

One of the sources said, “The interrogators are also probing Mr Sirika over the controversial Nigeria Air project that failed. Though the commission is yet to uncover the total amount that was expended on the project, the investigation is ongoing, and Sirika will be arraigned in court next week as charges are being prepared against him.”

Another source noted, “The former Minister of Aviation is still with us. Sirika slept over here at our FCT Command on Tuesday night, and he’s still with us this Wednesday night, as interrogators are still grilling him.”

The EFCC had earlier uncovered how the Aviation Ministry under Mr Sirika allegedly awarded several fraudulent contracts to two companies, one of which belongs to his younger brother, Abubakar Sirika.

It was reported that the indicted former Minister of Aviation arrived at the Federal Capital Territory Command of the EFCC at about 1:00 pm on Tuesday.

Following his arrival at the command, Sirika is faced by EFCC investigators to answer questions on alleged fraudulent contracts he awarded to a company known as Engirios Nigeria Limited, owned by his younger sibling, Abubakar Sirika.

“Yes, Hadi Sirika was taken into our FCT custody. He is currently meeting with EFCC investigators over the alleged N8,069,176,864.00 aviation ministry contract fraud,” a source revealed.