Ngige to remain in prison as court adjourns bail application ruling

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Gwarimpa, Abuja, on Monday, fixed Thursday for ruling on the bail application filed by former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, who is standing trial over the N2.2 billion fraud charges.

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On Friday (12 December), the trial judge, Maryam Hassan, remanded Mr Ngige in Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned him on eight counts of fraud and accepting bribes.

EFCC said Mr Ngige, a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress, allegedly committed the offences while serving as the labour minister during the immediate-past administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The minister, who earlier served as governor of Anambra State on the Peoples Democratic Party’s platform from May 2003 to March 2006, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the judge subsequently fixed Monday for the hearing of his bail application.

On Monday, the judge heard Mr Ngige’s bail application, which the EFCC vehemently opposed.

The EFCC said Mr Ngige was “a flight risk and can flee the country at will.”

Mr Ngige’s lawyer, Patrick Ikwueto, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), urged the court to grant him bail.

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He argued that Mr Ngige cannot be a flight risk because his passport was stolen.

“Where would he go without a visa? The defendant is not a flight risk and has no capacity, factual and legal, to leave the country,” the senior lawyer said.

Why EFCC opposed Ngige’s bail request

However, EFCC’s lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir, informed the court that Mr Ngige violated the terms of the administrative bail given by the anti-graft agency.

Mr Tahir said Mr Ngige got his passport from the commission in September to travel for a medical appointment but never returned it or reported it stolen.

“He made a promise to return it (passport) by 19 November 2025. The defendant did not return it,” Mr Tahir said, adding that the defendant’s affidavit of loss “shows the defendant came back on 14 November 2025”

“It (affidavit of loss) was never forwarded to us. Between the date he undertook and returned, there were five clear days; he did not turn himself in, nor return the travel documents,” the lawyer said.

He noted that the EFCC’s arrest of Mr Ngige was prompted by a report from one of his sureties, Abubakar Mohammed, who came to retrieve his passport after the defendant returned to Nigeria.

On 10 December, the EFCC arrested Mr Ngige from his residence at Justice Mohammed Bello Road in Abuja.

Mr Tahir noted that the report of his stolen documents submitted by Mr Ngige was written on 6 December and received on the day of his arrest. He described this as an afterthought.

He also pointed out to the court that the affidavit of loss was obtained in Nigeria, not in the United Kingdom, where the alleged theft occurred.

Therefore, Mr Tahir said, “the defendant is in gross breach of the administrative bail conditions granted to him by the EFCC and in contravention of Section 162 of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act.”

“This calls for extreme caution,” he added.

Ngige deserves bail – Defence lawyer

However, Mr Ikwueto argued that the loss of a passport, according to the law, should be reported to the local police, which Mr Ngige did.

He insisted that the passport was stolen, and the EFCC did not contest it.

Mr Ikwueto also urged the court to consider that the defendant has no prior criminal record and is unlikely to commit the offence again and cannot tamper with the evidence since the witness’ statements have already been taken.

Similarly, he asked the judge to consider the age and medical condition of Mr Ngige, as part of the other grounds for bail.

“Exercise your discretion to impose whatever favourable conditions that will make him stand his trial,” Mr Ikwueto pleaded.

Following their submissions, the trial judge, Ms Hassan, scheduled Thursday for ruling.

The defendant will remain in Kuje Custodial Centre until the judge decides his fate.

Charges

The EFCC filed eight counts of fraud and accepting bribes against Mr Ngige

According to the charges subsequently filed against him, the EFCC accused him of awarding seven contracts worth over N366 million “for consultancy, training and supply by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF)” to a company, Cezimo Nigeria Limited, belonging to his associate, Ezebinwa Charles.

The prosecution similarly accused him of awarding eight contracts worth over N583 million to another company belonging to Mr Charles.

The EFCC also alleged that the defendant used his position to give preferential treatment, awarding eight contracts worth over N362 million to a company, Jeff & Xris Limited, belonging to Nwosu Chukwunwike.

Other companies he allegedly awarded contracts under controversial circumstances include Olde English Consolidated Limited and Shale Atlantic Intercontinental Services Limited, belonging to Uzoma Igbonwa to the sum of N668 million and N161 million respectively.

According to the EFCC, these offences violate section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

Also, the anti-graft agency accused Mr Ngige of collecting gratifications from contractors of the NSITF through “his organisation, called Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige Campaign Organisation, from Cezimo Nigeria Limited (Zenith Bank Account Number 1011901119).”

Mr Ngige also allegedly collected N38.6 million from Cezimo Nigeria Limited, N55 million from Zitacom Nigeria Limited and N26 million from Jeff & Xris Limited, said the EFCC.

The offences were said to violate section 17(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and is punishable under section 17(c) of the same Act.

He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.