Alleged Corruption: Court Remands Former Labour Minister, Ngige, in Kuje Correctional Center

Alex Enumah in Abuja

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Friday, ordered the remand of the former Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Nigige, in the Kuje Correctional Center.

Nigige who was arraigned on alleged corruption charges would remain in Kuje Correctional Center till Monday, when his bail application would be heard.

Ngige was specifically charged with conferring unfair advantage on his associates, in the award of several contracts when he held office as minister, between 2015 and 2023.

He was also accused of corruptly accepting gifts of several millions of naira through his organizations, while he was in office.

He however pleaded not guilty to all the eighth-count charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

However, his bail application could not be taking as it was served on the prosecution shortly before the court’s proceedings.

His lead lawyer, Mr Patrick Ikweato, SAN, pleaded with the court to admit the former minister on health grounds, pending the hearing of the bail.

But, the request was opposed by EFCC’s lawyer, Mr Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, on claim that the former minister was a flight risk, adding that he would respond formally to the bail application.

In a short ruling, Justice Mariam Hassan adjourned till Monday December 15, for hearing in the bail application.

In the charge marked: FCT/HC/CR/726/2025, the former minister in count one was alleged to have used his position as Minister of Labour and Employment and the Supervising Minister of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), “to confer an unfair advantage upon Cezimo Nigeria Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles is your associate, by the award of Seven different contracts for consultancy, training and supply by the NSITF to the said company to the tune of N366,470,920.68.

In count two, the former minister was alleged to have used his position to confer an unfair advantage “upon Zitacom Nigeria Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles is your associate, by the award of eight different contracts for supply, training and consultancy, with the NSITF, to the said company to the tune of N583,682,686.00.

Ngige was also alleged to have used his position to confer an unfair advantage upon Jeff & Xris Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Nwosu Jideofor Chukwunwike, said to be his associate by the award of eight different contracts to the said company to the tune of N362,043,163.16.

In another count, the former minister was alleged to have “between September 2015 to May 2023 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this court and being the supervising Minister of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), used your said position to confer an unfair advantage upon Olde English Consolidated Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Uzoma Igbonwa is your associate, by the award of four different contracts for consultancy, training and construction by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) to the said company to the tune of N668,138,141.00.

In count six, the anti-graft agency alleged that Ngige had sometime between May 2022 and June 2022 in Abuja, “did corruptly accept a gift, to wit: the sum of N38,650,000 only through your organization called Senator (Dr) Chris Nwabueze Ngige Campaign Organization from Cezimo Nigeria Limited (Zenith Bank Account Number 1011901119), a contractor with the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), while performing your official act as Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 17(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 179(c) of the same Act”.

He was also in another count accused of “corruptly” accepting a gift of N55,003,000 only, through his organization called Senator (Dr) Chris Ngige Scholarship Scheme from Zitacom Nigeria Limited (Zenith Bank Account Number 1017263219), a contractor with the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF)”, while performing his official act as minister.