A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of Dr. Chris Ngige, former Minister of Labour and Employment, in the Kuje Correctional Centre over allegations involving ₦2.2 billion (about $2.2bn) in fraud and corrupt conduct, legal sources confirmed.
Dr. Ngige appeared in court on Friday after being arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an eight-count charge that accuses him of abusing his office and accepting illicit benefits during his tenure as supervising minister of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) from 2015 to 2023.
The charges, which were filed on December 9 and marked FCT/HC/CR/726/2025, allege that Dr. Ngige used his official position to confer undue advantages on companies linked to his associates by awarding them multiple NSITF contracts worth hundreds of millions of naira. Prosecutors claim these contracts were for consultancy, training, supply, and construction services, and that some of the awards lacked proper competitive procedures, violating the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
In addition to the contract-related counts, the EFCC also alleges that he accepted monetary gifts through organisations associated with him while acting in his official capacity. These purported gifts, which the anti-graft agency says were received from contractors, total tens of millions of naira and are included in the charges as corrupt gratification offences.
When the court proceedings began, Dr. Ngige pleaded not guilty to all eight counts read to him, rejecting the allegations as unfounded. His legal team argued for bail, stressing his status as a prominent public figure, his age and health concerns, and the need for him to attend to medical needs while the case unfolds. The defence counsel told the court that Ngige posed no flight risk and urged the judge to grant him freedom pending trial.
However, the EFCC prosecuting counsel opposed the bail application, pressing the court to remand Dr. Ngige in custody to prevent interference with the ongoing investigation and to demonstrate a firm stance against corruption. Justice Mariam Hassan agreed with the prosecution and ordered that the former minister be held at Kuje Correctional Centre.
The court adjourned the hearing on the bail application to Monday, December 15, 2025, giving both sides time to file further legal arguments and documents.
The case marks a significant moment in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to tackle high-level corruption, especially involving former public officials. The EFCC has in recent years pursued several high-profile figures, and this prosecution underscores the government’s continued focus on enforcing anti-graft laws and holding leaders accountable.
