A former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige, was on Friday ordered to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja after he was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged ₦2.2 billion fraud.
Justice Mariam Hassan of the Federal Capital Territory High Court issued the remand order and adjourned the case until Monday, December 15, to hear the former Anambra Governor’s bail application.
Ngige, the sole defendant in the eight-count charge marked: FCT/HC/CR/726/2025, arrived at the court premises at about 8:10 am, escorted by EFCC officials.
The charges detail offences allegedly committed while he served as the supervising Minister of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) between September 2015 and May 2023, under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The EFCC Counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, asked the court for a date to commence the trial and requested that Ngige be remanded in the anti-graft agency’s custody pending the bail hearing.
However, Ngige’s counsel countered the remand request, noting that his client had already been held in EFCC custody for three days.
He stressed that the former Minister was a well-known public figure and expressed readiness to meet any bail conditions. The defence also cited Ngige’s alleged poor health, emphasizing the need for medical attention.
The eight counts detail how Ngige allegedly used his position to confer unfair advantages on four companies linked to his associates through the award of multiple contracts from the NSITF. The contracts amount to over ₦2.2 billion.
The specific contract allegations include:
Count One: Using his position to confer an unfair advantage on Cezimo Nigeria Limited, linked to his associate Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles, by awarding seven contracts worth ₦366,470,920.68.
Count Two: Conferring an unfair advantage on Zitacom Nigeria Limited, also linked to the said Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles, by awarding eight contracts worth ₦583,682,686.00.
Count Three: Conferring an unfair advantage on Jeff & Xris Limited, linked to his associate Nwosu Jideofor Chukwunwike, by awarding eight contracts worth ₦362,043,163.16.
Count Four: Conferring an unfair advantage on Olde English Consolidated Limited, linked to his associate Uzoma Igbonwa, by awarding four contracts worth ₦668,138,141.00.
Ngige is expected to be brought back to court on Monday, December 15, for the hearing of his application for bail.
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