In a session held at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, bail was granted to former Minister of Aviation and Aerospace, Hadi Abubakar Sirika, alongside his daughter, Fatimah Hadi Sirika, and son-in-law, Jalal Hamma.

The trio, along with Al-Duraq Investment Ltd., faced charges related to an alleged N2.7 billion fraud linked to the Nigerian Air project, as filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Before Justice Sylvanus Orji, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the six-count amended criminal charge presented against them.

Prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, informed the court of an amended charge by the EFCC dated May 7 and filed on May 8, which went uncontested by the defendant's counsel.

Lead counsel for the defendants, Kanu Agabi (SAN), representing Sirika, presented his client's bail application dated May 6. Similar bail applications were made for the other defendants, with pleas for leniency in the bail conditions.

Jacobs, in response, stated that all defendants were on administrative bail and urged the court to ensure bail conditions that would guarantee their appearance for trial.

Justice Orji, after considering the arguments, granted bail to each defendant in the sum of 100 million, requiring two sureties each. One surety must possess a landed property within the Federal Capital Territory, and all sureties must provide an affidavit of means. Additionally, the defendants were prohibited from traveling outside the country without court permission.

The judge warned that failure to meet bail conditions would result in detention in a correctional facility.

Furthermore, the trial was scheduled for June 10, 11, and 20.