The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has called for the immediate arrest and probe of former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, over the role he played in the Nigeria Air scandal.
A statement by National President of the Forum, Yerima Shettima, said the likes of Sirika and his cohorts should not be let go of the embarrassment caused Nigeria as a nation.
Shettima said the recent revelation by the interim Managing Director of the so-called “Nigerian Airline,” Captain Dapo Olumide, when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Aviation that the aircraft used for unveiling of the Nigeria Air was rented from Ethiopian Airline was a slap on Nigerians’ faces, hence perpetrators should not be allowed to go scot free.
He said that rather than the former aviation minister going round media houses giving unsatisfactory explanations, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should wade into the matter urgently by arresting him for proper questioning and prosecution.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has already started demonstrating that it won’t be business as usual in Nigeria. He should also go a step further by ordering the arrest of Sirika to serve as deterrent to others.
“The action of Sirika amounts to deception and breach of trust that should not go un-punished. He must be made to face the law, particularly in the face of absolute disregard to the rule of law and entire justice system by proceeding on the unveiling of the aircraft against the order of a competent court of law.
“This national embarrassment and waste of resources would have been averted if he had listened to advice, knowing that it was a charade to deceive Nigerians,” he said.
The AYCF President said if the EFCC fails to yield to the call with immediate effect, the Forum would be left with no option but to take legal action against the former minister until he is made to pay for the embarrassment he has caused the country.
“We will also mobilise civil society organisations (CSOs), activists, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), students and others to take to the streets across the country until Sirika is brought to book. But we hope we will not be pushed to the wall to take such action. Enough of this embarrassment. We must get it right in Nigeria,” he said.
