The former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, was on Friday ordered to be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre after facing an Abuja High Court on charges brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The indictment pertains to alleged contract fraud totalling more than ₦2.2 billion during his eight-year tenure as supervising minister of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).
Mr. Ngige appeared before Justice Maryam Hassan at the Gwarinpa Division of the FCT High Court, where he formally entered a not-guilty plea to an eight-count charge. The allegations against him border on flagrant abuse of office and the illicit receipt of financial benefits from contractors operating within the NSITF.
The arraignment immediately descended into a heated application battle over the defendant’s immediate liberty. The prosecution, spearheaded by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Sylvanus Tahir, vehemently pressed for Mr. Ngige’s remand, arguing the severity of the allegations warranted his detention while the judicial process commenced.
Conversely, the distinguished defence team, led by Patrick Ikwueto (SAN), lodged a robust objection, appealing to the court to grant bail primarily on grounds of the defendant’s health. Mr. Ikwueto stated that his client had spent the preceding three days in EFCC custody and was in urgent need of medical attention.
“The charges before the court do not justify continued detention,” Mr. Ikwueto submitted. “The defendant is well-known across the country. This is not a case of terrorism, nor is it treason. Even in the charge sheet, his status as a former Minister is acknowledged. He deserves bail and stands ready to meet any conditions imposed by this esteemed court.”
The defence also raised procedural concerns, protesting that they had been afforded insufficient time to file a formal response to the prosecution’s application, thereby arguing against being ‘railroaded’ by the EFCC.
The prosecution countered this, stressing that the allegations were profoundly serious. They further introduced an argument against liberty by noting that Mr. Ngige had allegedly failed to surrender his international passport following a prior medical clearance to travel, thus suggesting a potential flight risk.
Following deliberations on the submissions from both sides, Justice Hassan determined to adjourn the substantive hearing of Mr. Ngige’s bail application until December 14. In the interim, the Court issued an order directing that the former Minister be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Facility.
The charges, which were formally filed on October 31, accuse Mr. Ngige of implementing an irregular and systematic scheme to award lucrative NSITF contracts to companies alleged to have close ties to his associates.
The specific contract and financial benefit allegations include:
- Cezimo Nigeria Limited: Seven contracts valued at ₦366.47 million, coupled with an alleged monetary gift of ₦38.65 million received in 2022.
- Zitacom Nigeria Limited: Eight contracts valued at ₦583.68 million, alongside an alleged monetary gift of ₦55 million.
- Jeff & Xris Limited: Eight contracts totalling ₦362.04 million, resulting in an alleged financial benefit of ₦26.13 million.
- Olde English Consolidated Limited: Four contracts worth ₦668.14 million.
- Shale Atlantic Intercontinental Services Limited: Four contracts valued at ₦161.60 million.
The EFCC asserts that these alleged acts constitute a direct contravention of sections 17(a) and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. The case is set to resume next week for the critical bail determination hearing.
