Former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, has been remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his bail application.
Justice Mariam Hassan of the Federal Capital Territory High Court issued the remand order on Friday after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the former Anambra governor over an alleged ₦2.2 billion corruption scheme.
The judge adjourned the matter to 15 December for the hearing of the bail application.
Ngige was arraigned on an eight-count charge.
During Friday’s proceedings, EFCC counsel Sylvanus Tahir asked the court to fix a date for the commencement of the trial and requested that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody in the interim.
Opposing the request, counsel to the former minister informed the court that Ngige had already been in EFCC custody for three days. He argued that his client is a well-known public figure who served as a federal minister until about a year and three months ago and therefore poses no flight risk. He added that Ngige is in poor health and requires medical attention, insisting that the defence is ready to meet any bail conditions.
Ngige arrived at the court premises around 8:10 a.m. in the company of EFCC officials.
In the eight-count charge marked FCT/HC/CR/726/2025, filed on December 9 and dated October 31, the former minister is the sole defendant. The EFCC alleges that Ngige committed the offences while serving as Minister of Labour under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the charge, Ngige is accused of using his position as supervising minister of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) between September 2015 and May 2023 to confer an unfair advantage on Cezimo Nigeria Limited, a company linked to his associate, Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles, by awarding seven contracts worth ₦366,470,920.68 for consultancy, training, and supplies.
He is also alleged to have conferred an unfair advantage on Zitacom Nigeria Limited—another company associated with the same individual—by awarding eight contracts for supply, training, and consultancy valued at ₦583,682,686.00.
In the third count, Ngige is accused of awarding eight contracts for consultancy, training, and supplies to Jeff & Xris Limited, linked to Nwosu Jideofor Chukwunwike, at a total cost of ₦362,043,163.16.
The fourth count alleges that he used his office to benefit Olde English Consolidated Limited, owned by Uzoma Igbonwa, by awarding four contracts for consultancy, training, and construction amounting to ₦668,138,141.00.
The EFCC maintains that these actions conferred undue benefits on companies owned or controlled by Ngige’s associates while he served as the supervising minister of the NSITF.
