- Safiu Kehinde
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has on Friday remanded former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, over alleged N2.2 billion corruption charge.
NPO Reported that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had dragged the ex-Minister to court over an eight-count charge bordering on corruption.
The presiding judge, Justice Mariam Hassan, ordered the remand of Ngige in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his bail application which was adjourned till Monday, December 15, 2025.
During the first hearing today, the EFCC counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, urged the court to set a date for the commencement of trial and to allow the anti-graft agency to keep the defendant in its custody pending the bail proceedings.
Reacting, Ngige’s counsel opposed the request, arguing that the ex-minister had already spent three days in EFCC detention.
He added that Ngige, a well-known public figure who served in government until about a year and three months ago, posed no flight risk. He also told the court that his client was in poor health and needed medical care.
In the charge sheet, marked FCT/HC/CR/726/2025 and dated October 31 but filed on December 9, all alleged offences were committed during Ngige’s tenure as Minister of Labour under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
In count one the defendant was alleged to have between September 2015 to May 2023, while being the supervising Minister of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), used his position to confer an unfair advantage upon Cezimo Nigeria Limited, a company whose MD/CEO, Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles, is his associate.
Ngige was said to have awarded seven different contracts for consultancy, training and supply by the NSITF to the said company to the tune of N366.5 million.
In count two, the defendant was alleged to have while being the supervising Minister of NSITF, used his position to confer an unfair advantage upon Zitacom Nigeria Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles is his associate.
Ngige was alleged to have awarded eight different contracts for supply, training and consultancy, with NSITF, to the said company to the tune of N583.7 million.
Count three accused Ngige of using his position to confer an unfair advantage upon Jeff & Xris Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Nwosu Jideofor Chukwunwike is his associate.