The Concerned Northern Forum has called for the immediate arrest and thorough investigation of former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika over the Nigerian Air scandal.

The forum noted that the EFCC must not waste any time in arresting Hadi Sirika alongside all his alleged co-perpetrators that took part in deceiving Nigeria, shaming it before the international community.

A statement signed by the Chairman of the forum, Ali Muhammad, said, “the call for arrest of Hadi Sirika followed the recent revelation by the interim MD of the so called ‘Nigerian Airline’, Captain Dapo Olumide, when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Aviation, where he stated that the Nigeria Air aircraft used for unveiling of the Nigeria Air was rented from Ethiopian Airline. No wonder the unveiling was quick, no details were made available, no one has the eyes to say he saw any features of the plane or anything.”

According to the statement, Captain Dapo also made known that the airline was yet to secure an operating licence for full flight operations, disagreeing with earlier declarations of the former Minister, Hadi Sirika.

The forum lamented that the Minister was so adamant and insisted on going ahead with the unveiling of the Nigerian Air even when there was a court order acting against the same matter, describing it as “a half baked project, driven by lies, deception, corruption and personal money benefits to the Minister amounting to billions of Naira.”

The statement said that the alleged deception and breach of trust should not go unpunished, stressing that Hadi Sirika must be brought to face the law as it is also a disregard for the rule of law and entire justice system to proceed on matters against the order of a competent court of law.

The statement alleged that the Minister had acted with so much impunity on several occasions, adding that he continuously operated as a tyrant Minister, refusing to listen to no one, the aviation experts, Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, who advised against this project.

According to the statement, the national embarrassment and waste of resources incurred on the country would have been averted if he had listened to advice.

It called on President Tinubu not to consider Sirika for Minister or any appointment in his administration.