Ex Labour Minister Chris Ngige Remanded in Prison Over Alleged N2.2 billion Contract Scam
Justice Maryam Hassan of the FCT High Court has ordered the remand of former Minister of Labour and Employement in Kuje prison over an alleged N2.2billion contract infraction.
Ngige, a former governor of Anambra State is to remain in jail till Monday December 14, 2025 when his baill application will be heard.
The former ministet has entered a not guilty plea at the FCT High Court, Gwarimpa, Abuja, in the alleged use of his position while in office to confer undue advantage on associates through the award of multiple contracts amounting to N2,261,722,535.84.
Justice Maryam Hassan ordered that Ngige be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his bail application, scheduled for Monday, December 14.
Dr. Ngige pleaded not guilty to eight charges, which include abuse of office and receiving gifts from contractors of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund while serving as its supervising minister between September 2015 and May 2023.
The charge dated October 31 and filed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Sylvanus Tahir alongside five other lawyers on behalf of the EFCC, details allegations that the former minister used his position to confer undue advantage on associates through the award of multiple contracts.
In count one, the EFCC alleges that between September 2015 and May 2023, while serving as supervising Minister of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, Ngige “used his position to confer an unfair advantage upon Cezimo Nigeria Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles, is believed to be his associate.”
The charge states that he “awarded seven different contracts for consultancy, training and supply by the NSITF to the said company to the tune of ₦366,470,920.68,” an offence said to contravene section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Other companies listed include Zitacom Nigeria Limited, described as a firm “whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles, was awarded eight different contracts for supply, training and consultancy, with the NSITF to the tune of ₦583,682,686.00.”
urge your Lordship to grant the defendant bail, and we are ready to grant any requirement your Lordship will put to grant him bail. Even this morning, he mentioned how he needs to go to the hospital. The prosecution is asking for his remand, knowing fully well they don’t have the facility to cater to his health issues at Kuje.”
He argued that the allegations were not comparable to terrorism or treason charges that would justify denying bail.
“It’s not like he ate the ministry’s money or that of NSTIF. The trial will start, and we will see how those contracts were awarded. It’s not a terrorism charge or treason offence,” Ikwueto stated.
He also challenged the EFCC’s application, saying the defence was not given time to respond.
“We were not allowed time to file our own counter-affidavit. If the prosecution will give us time, we will.”
The prosecution, however, countered him, noting that the defendant’s alleged offence was not trivial and should not be downplayed by the defence.
“The offences with which the defendant was charged are by no means minute; they are rather enormous crimes that if found guilty, he will spend nothing less than five years in prison because of the attempt to trivialise the crime and bamboozle the Court,” the prosecution said.
He told the court that Ngige failed to return his international passport after he was permitted to travel for medical treatment in October.
The court adjourned the matter to December 14 and ordered Ngige’s remand in Kuje.
