Contract Fraud: Ngige Remanded in Prison, Bail Application Adjourned Till Dec 15

A former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Facility, Abuja, by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Ngige was sent to prison custody after his bail application was refused and scheduled for hearing on Monday, December 15, by Justice Mariam Hassan.

The former Anambra State governor, who was arraigned before the court on Friday, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged contract fraud running into multiple millions of naira.

In the charge dated October 31, the commission alleged that Ngige used his position to confer undue advantage by awarding multiple contracts to associates and companies linked to him.

Ngige was governor of Anambra from 2003 to 2006, and Labour Minister from 2015 to 2023. He is charged with conferring unfair advantage on his associates in the award of several contracts when he held office as minister between 2015 and 2023.

In the charge marked: FCT/HC/CR/726/2025, Ngige was also accused of corruptly accepting gifts of several million naira through his organisations while he was in office.

The ex-minister, however, pleaded not guilty to all the eighth-count charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

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However, his bail application could not be taken as it was served on the prosecution shortly before the court proceeded.

His lead counsel, Patrick Ikweato (SAN), pleaded with the court to admit the former minister on health grounds, pending the hearing of the bail.

But the request was opposed by EFCC’s Counsel Sylvanus Tahir (SAN), on claims that the former minister was a flight risk, adding that he would respond formally to the bail application.

In a short ruling, Justice Hassan adjourned till Monday, December 15, for the hearing in the bail application.

In count one, Ngige was said to have, between September 2015 and 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.

He was said to have awarded seven contracts for consultancy, training and supply by the NSITF to the said company to the tune of N366,470,920.68 (Three hundred and sixty six million, four hundred and seventy thousand, nine hundred and twenty naira and sixty-eight kobo).

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In count two, the former minister was alleged to have, while being the supervising Minister of NSITF, used his position to confer an unfair advantage upon Zitacom Nigeria Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles, is his associate.

He was alleged to have awarded eight contracts for supply, training and consultancy, with NSITF, to the said company to the tune of N583,682,686.00 (five hundred and eighty three million, six hundred and eighty two thousand, six hundred and eighty six naira) only.

Count three accused Ngige of using his position to confer an unfair advantage upon Jeff & Xris Limited, a company whose MD and CEO, Nwosu Jideofor Chukwunwike, is his associate, by the award of eight contracts for consultancy, training and supplies with NSITF to the said company to the tune of N362,043,163.16 (Three Hundred and Sixty Two Million, Forty Three Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty Three Naira and Sixteen Kobo) only.

In count four, he was alleged to have used his position to confer an unfair advantage upon Olde English Consolidated Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Uzoma Igbonwa, is his associate.

He was accused of awarding four contracts for consultancy, training and construction by NSITF to the said company to the tune of N668,138,141.00 (six hundred and sixty eight million, one hundred and thirty eight thousand, one hundred and forty one naira) only.

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