A borrowed plane wore Nigerian colors for less than three days. That is the claim at the center of fresh testimony against former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika, who now faces allegations that the much-publicized Nigeria Air launch was built on a lie.
A witness has told investigators that the aircraft displayed under the Nigeria Air brand actually belonged to Ethiopian Airlines. Within 72 hours of that public showcase, the Nigeria Air logo was stripped from the plane and it was flown back to Addis Ababa, returning to its true owner as if nothing had happened.
The testimony raises pointed questions about what exactly Nigerians were shown during that launch event, and who knew the aircraft was never theirs to keep. If the account holds up, what was presented as a milestone for Nigerian aviation was, at best, a costume and, at worst, a calculated deception.
Sirika served as minister under the Buhari administration and was the face of the Nigeria Air project through years of delays and public skepticism. The airline never took flight in any meaningful sense, and this latest witness account may explain why the spectacle always looked more like a photo opportunity than a real launch.
The case is still unfolding, and more testimony is expected. Watch this space.
Originally published by Premium Times.