₦2.2bn Contract Fraud: Court Orders Ngige’s Remand in Kuje Prison

By Admin

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Abuja, presided over by Honourable Justice Mariam Hassan, has ordered the remand of former Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr.

Chris Ngige, at the Kuje Custodial Centre following his arraignment on Friday.

Dr. Ngige is standing trial over alleged criminal involvement in the award of contracts amounting to ₦2.

2 billion while serving as a sitting minister. The court directed that he be remanded in custody pending the hearing of his bail application, which has been fixed for December 15, 2025.

Ngige is the sole defendant in the case marked FCT/HC/CR/726/2025. He had been in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) since his arrest on Tuesday but was subsequently handed over to prison authorities for transfer to Kuje Custodial Centre in compliance with the court order.

According to the charge, the alleged offences were committed during Ngige’s tenure as supervising Minister of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) between September 2015 and May 2023, under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

At the proceedings, EFCC counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant in the custody of the anti-graft agency pending the determination of his bail application.

However, counsel to Ngige opposed the request, arguing that his client had already spent three days in EFCC custody. He maintained that the former minister is a prominent public figure who poses no flight risk and is willing to comply with any bail conditions imposed by the court. The defence further cited Ngige’s alleged health challenges, stressing the need for adequate medical attention.

The eight-count charge alleges that Ngige abused his office to confer unfair advantages on four companies linked to his associates through the award of multiple NSITF contracts valued at over ₦2.2 billion.

Specifically, the allegations include:

Count One: Conferring an unfair advantage on Cezimo Nigeria Limited, linked to associate Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles, through the award of seven contracts valued at ₦366,470,920.68.

Count Two: Conferring an unfair advantage on Zitacom Nigeria Limited, also linked to Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles, involving eight contracts worth ₦583,682,686.00.

Count Three: Conferring an unfair advantage on Jeff & Xris Limited, linked to associate Nwosu Jideofor Chukwunwike, through eight contracts valued at ₦362,043,163.16.

Count Four: Conferring an unfair advantage on Olde English Consolidated Limited, linked to associate Uzoma Igbonwa, involving four contracts worth ₦668,138,141.00.

Ngige is expected to return to court on Monday, December 15, 2025, for the hearing of his bail application.