Former Aviation Minister, Babalola Borisade, and former Managing Director of Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Roland Iyayi, were on Thursday arraigned before an Abuja High Court.

They were charged with receiving gratification in the award of N6 billion Safe Tower projects in the country.

Also on Thursday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) carried out a thorough search on the residence of Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Plc, Bates Sarki Sule, in continuation of investigations on the alleged fraud against him.

Arraigned with Borisade and Iyayi were Head of Operations of Avsatel Communications Limited, George Eder, and T.A. Dairo, a former aide to Borisade.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charges and were remanded in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] till today, when Justice Abubakar Umar will take applications for their bail.

Borisade and Iyayi were charged with receiving gratification from Eder.

Borisade, who was cited as the first accused person, was alleged to have received gratification worth 15,000 Euros from Eder (the 4th accused person) in the form of hotel accommodation and souvenirs, on account of favour shown to Avsatel Communications Limited while awarding contract for the Safe Tower projects.

Count eight, which accused Iyayi of similar offence, reads: "That you Roland Iyayi on or about May 30, 2006, in Abuja while being a public officer (i.e. Managing Director of NAMA) did corruptly receive from George Eder of Avsatel Communications Limited gratification in the form of hotel accommodation and air tickets on account of favour shown to the said Avsatel Communications Limited in the exercise of your official functions in the N6.5 billion Safe Tower projects awarded it by your Ministry and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8 (1) (a) of the Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act 2000."

Apart from alleged receipt of gratifications, Borisade, Iyayi, Dairo and Eder were also charged with forgery.

They were accused of forging a document entitled "Urgent Need To Replace the Obsolete Equipment in the Control Towers of the Nation's Designated International Airports in Preparation for the ICAO Audit Scheduled for September 2006" dated October 25, 2005.

Count one reads: "That you Professor Borisade being a former Aviation Minister, Roland Iyayi, being a former Technical Adviser to Borisade, T.A. Dairo, being a former Personal Assistant to Borisade and George Eder, on or about October 25, 2006, in Abuja did agree among yourselves to an illegal act to wit forgery, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97 (1) of the Penal Code Act Cap. 532 Laws of the Federation."

Count two charged them with making a false document purporting same to have been made by one Nnamdi Udoh whom they knew did not make it, with intent to commit fraud.

They were also charged with making another false document captioned "Report on the Evaluation of the Tender Safe Tower Projects" dated December 9, 2005, with intent that fraud might be committed and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 364 of the Penal Code Act Cap 532 Laws of the Federation 1990."

Other offences brought against the suspects included using forged documents as genuine, receiving and giving gratifications, among others.

All the suspects, except Dairo, had been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate's Court in Abuja. They were all granted bail after they pleaded not guilty to the charges.

At the end of the EFCC search in Sule's residence, they were said to have recovered vital documents including bank tellers believed to have assisted their investigations.

An official of the company simply identified as Peter, was also arrested on Thursday by the EFCC.