A former Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, was on Friday arraigned before an Abuja High Court sitting in Gwarinpa by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of N2.2 billion contract fraud linked to the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).
Ngige, who served as supervising minister of the NSITF between September 2015 and May 2023, was docked on an eight-count charge bordering on abuse of office and acceptance of gifts from contractors handling projects under the agency. The former minister pleaded not guilty to all counts.
The case, presided over by Justice Maryam Hassan, took a dramatic turn after the plea was entered, when the EFCC, represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Sylvanus Tahir, applied for an immediate trial date and urged the court to order the defendant’s remand.
Tahir told the court, “In view of the not-guilty plea entered by the defendant, we humbly apply for the trial date. We further pray my Lord that the accused person be remanded at the Kuje prison pending the commencement of the full trial.”
However, defence counsel Patrick Ikwueto (SAN) strongly objected, urging the court to grant immediate bail to the former minister on health grounds. He noted that Ngige had been held in EFCC custody for three days prior to the arraignment and required urgent medical attention.
“The defendant has been in the custody of the EFCC for the past three days. The charge was filed yesterday and assigned to this Court. Bail is a constitutional right. The defendant is a well-known public figure and not a flight risk,” Ikwueto argued.
He also told the court that Ngige had earlier informed investigators of his need for hospital treatment, insisting that the Kuje Correctional Centre lacked adequate medical facilities. The defence expressed readiness to comply with any bail conditions imposed.
Ikwueto further criticised the EFCC’s application, stating that the defence was not given time to file a counter-affidavit. “If the prosecution will give us time, we will,” he said.
Responding, the EFCC counsel rejected the characterisation of the charges as minor, arguing that they were “enormous crimes” that carry significant penalties upon conviction. He also accused Ngige of violating a previous administrative bail condition by failing to return his international passport after travelling for medical treatment in October.
“These offences are not trivial. If found guilty, the defendant faces no less than five years in prison,” Tahir told the court.
After listening to both sides, Justice Hassan adjourned the matter to December 14 for the hearing of the bail application. She subsequently ordered that Ngige be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his request for bail.
The arraignment marks a major development in the EFCC’s widening probe into alleged contract irregularities at the NSITF, an agency that has faced repeated corruption scandals over the past decade.
David Okoroaforn ✔
Godwin Okafor is the Publisher & CEO of Naija247news Media Group LLC, an independent investigative news platform delivering accurate, data-driven reporting on Nigerian and global politics, economy, finance, and business. Founded in October 2010, Naija247news specializes in developmental journalism, providing timely insights and analysis to readers across Nigeria and the diaspora.
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