Alleged N2.2b fraud: Court orders Ngige to remain in prison till Thursday

…to rule on bail application on December 18

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Gwarimpa has ordered that former Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, be further remanded in Kuje prison, Abuja, until December 18, when his bail application will be determined.

The court had, on December 12, after he was arraigned on an eight-count, ordered that Ngige be kept in Kuje prison pending the hearing of his bail application on Monday.

Ngige is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges bordering on abuse of office and acceptance of gifts from contractors of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) during his tenure as supervising minister from September 2015 to May 2023.

On Monday, Justice Mariam Hassan ordered that Ngige should be returned to prison after she heard arguments from lawyers to the parties on whether or not Ngige deserved to be granted bail.

His lawyer, Patrick Ikwu Monday, shortly after taking arguments for and against the bail request of the former governor of Anambra state.

Ngige’s lawyer, Patrick Ikwueto (SAN) prayed the court to, among others, grant bail to his client on health grounds

He submitted that the former Minister would not jump bail or interfere with the prosecution’s witnesses if granted bail.

Responding, prosecuting lawyer Sylvanus Tahir (SAN), objected, claiming that Ngige is a flight risk.

Tahir said the EFCC had earlier granted Ngige administrative bail and allowed him to travel abroad for medical care, but failed to subsequently report back to the EFCC.

He said the international passport released to him to facilitate his trip abroad was never returned till today.

Tahir argued that it was when Ngige was rearrested that he came up with the idea that he lost his passport, which the prosecuting lawyer termed an afterthought.

He prayed the court to reject Ngige’s application for bail.

Justice Hassan has adjourned till Thursday for ruling.

Ngige is named the sole defendant in the charge marked: FCT/HC/CR/726/2025.

In count one, Ngige is alleged to have l, between September 2015 to May 2023, while being the supervising Minister of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), used his position to confer an unfair advantage upon Cezimo Nigeria Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles, is his associate.