The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has filed an eight-count charge against former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige over alleged contract fraud.
Ngige is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday at the FCT High Court in Gwarimpa, Abuja.
The charge, dated October 31 and filed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Sylvanus Tahir alongside five other lawyers on behalf of the EFCC, alleges that Ngige used his position as a former minister to confer undue advantage by awarding contracts to associates and companies believed to be linked to him.
Details of the charge
In Count 1, Ngige is accused of, between September 2015 and May 2023, using his role as supervising Minister of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) to benefit Cezimo Nigeria Limited. The company, whose MD/CEO is Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles and considered Ngige’s associate, allegedly received seven contracts for consultancy, training, and supply worth ₦366,470,920.68. The EFCC claims this constituted an offence under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. He allegedly awarded seven different contracts for consultancy, training and supply by the NSITF to the said company to the tune of ₦366,470,920.68 (Three Hundred and Sixty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty Naira and Sixty Eight Kobo) and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Other companies mentioned in the charge are Zitacom Nigeria Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles was awarded of eight different contracts for supply, training and consultancy, with the NSITF to the tune of ₦583,682,686.00 (Five Hundred and Eighty Three Million, Six Hundred and Eighty Two Thousand, Six Hundred and Eighty Six Naira and Jeff & Xris Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Nwosu Jideofor Chukwunwike also got eight different contracts to the tune of ₦362,043,163.16 (Three Hundred and Sixty Two Million, Forty Three Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty Three Naira and Sixteen Kobo).
Others are Olde English Consolidated Limited, a company whose MD/CEO, Uzoma Igbonwa got the award of four different contracts for consultancy, training and construction by the NSITF to the tune of ₦668,138,141.00 (Six Hundred and Sixty Eight Million, One Hundred and Thirty Eight Thousand, One Hundred and Forty One Naira) and Shale Atlantic Intercontinental Services Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Uzoma Igbonwa got the award of four different contracts to the tune of ₦161,604,625.00 (One Hundred and Sixty One Million, Six Hundred and Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty Five Naira.
The EFCC alleges that these awards were improperly conferred to benefit Ngige’s associates and constitute violations of anti-corruption laws.