Di Federal Capital Territory High Court for Gwarinpa Abuja don remand di former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige for Kuje Prison sake of corruption accuse wey di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) sama on top im head.

Ngige appear before Justice Maryam Hassan, dis Friday morning sake of eight-count charge of contract fraud as di EFCC tok say e bin dey use im position as Minister to dey award contracts to companies wia e get interest and to im associates too.

Di former Minister plead not guilty to di charges.

For di Charge sheet, di EFCC claim say between September 2015 and May 2023 wen Ngige be Minister for Labour and also dey oversee di Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), im bin approve seven contracts for consultancy, training and supply for one company wey dia name na Cezimo Nigeria Limited.

Di contracts value pass N366 million, and according to di EFCC, di managing director, Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles, na associate of di former minister, and dis na offence against section 19 of di Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

For anoda count, EFCC claim say Ngige also award contracts wey value pass N583 million for one Zitacom Nigeria Limited, wey di oga for dia na di same Ezebinwa Charles.

Anoda company - Jeff & Xris Limited – also get contract wey di value na about N362 million. Di owner of dis company na Nwosu Jideofor Chukwunwike, according to EFCC.

Also, Olde English Consolidated Limited, wey di owner na one Uzoma Igbonwa get four contracts wey di total moni na ova N668 million; while Shale Atlantic Intercontinental Services Limited, way also get link to Igbonwa, receive another four contracts for more dan N161 million total.

Di EFCC also accuse Ngige say e corruptly collect gift of money - N38 million - through im organisation, 'Senator (Dr) Chris Nwabueze Ngige Campaign Organisation'.

Dis gift na from Cezimo Nigeria Limited wey be company wey don carry out contract for di NSITF.

Den Ngige also collect anoda gift of N55 million from anoda contractor Zitacom Nigeria Limited, through anoda of im organisation wey di name na 'Senator (r) Chris Ngige Scholarship Scheme'.

Bail application

Di anti corruption commission claim say Ngige bin dey use im position as minister to give unfair advantage to im friends and to im own companies by giving dem plenty contracts.

Sylvanus Tahir (SAN) wey be di lawyer for di EFCC ask di court make dem remand Ngige for prison custody and put date wen di trial go start.

But Ngige lawyer, Patrick Ikwueto (SAN), tok say im don file bail application, even though e gree say di application neva dey due for hearing bicos na just for court dia e serve di application on di prosecution. E beg di court to allow am to move oral bail application for im client.

Ikwueto say EFCC bin don grant Ngige administrative bail and e bin dey obey di bail conditions. E also say Ngige no dey fell well and e need di bail to receive medical attention.

However, di EFCC lawyer tell di court say Ngige no obey di bail conditions wey di EFCC bin give am.

Tahir narrate how di EFCC bin allow Ngige to travel overseas for medical treatment and tell am say make e return im passoort to dem once e come bak to Nigeria. But Ngige come bak since November 19 and e no gree submit im passport to di EFCC.

Di former Minister lawyer den tell di court say robbers bin rob Ngige for London and collect important items including im travel documents and moni. Tahir say Ngige use official travel certificate to come bak to Nigeria and e bin write to inform di EFCC of di incident.

Afta all di argument, Justice Hassan give order make di accused pesin dey remanded for Kuje prison until wen di bail application go dey decided, but she order make dem give Ngige all di medical attention wey e need for di prison facility.

Di trial judge adjourn di mata to Monday, 15 December 2025 for hearing of di bail application.

Reports bin first come out on Wednesday say dem kidnap Chris Ngige, di former govnor of Anambra State and immediate past Minister of Labour and Employment.

Na later, one of Ngige former tok-tok pesin, Fred Chukwuelobe, clear di air say di former minister dey for di custody of di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Ngige na one of di ministers and top govment pipo - especially di ones wey serve for di immediate past administration, under late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari - wey EFCC dey accuse of corruption and oda issues.