The Federal High Court in Gwaripa, Abuja, has granted bail to the former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, in the ongoing alleged ₦2.2 billion contract fraud against him.
Naijaonpoint reports that Justice Maryam Hassan, in granting Ngige bail, adopted the terms of administrative bail granted to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
She also added that, as part of the bail conditions, the defendant must produce one surety who is a Director on the federal government payroll and must have property in the FCT.
Justice Hassan ordered Ngige to submit his travel documents to the court, noting that bail is at the court’s discretion, and the conditions must not be unreasonable or unduly stringent.
Hassan added that judicial powers must not be exercised arbitrarily and further adjourned the trial until 28th and 29th January 2026.
Recall Ngige, who served as minister between November 11, 2015 and May 29, 2023, was arraigned last Friday on an eight-count charge bordering on abuse of office and contract fraud allegedly committed while overseeing activities linked to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge, after which the court remanded him to the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, pending the determination of his bail application.
Part of the allegations against him is that he accepted kickbacks from firms that were awarded NSITF contracts and used his office to confer unfair advantages on associates by influencing contract awards.
The offences are punishable under various provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Opposing the bail request, the EFCC, through its team of lawyers led by Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, urged the court to decline the application.