Ngige Faces Court Today as EFCC Files Eight-Count Charge on Contract Irregularities

Former Minister of Labour and Productivity and ex-Anambra State Governor Chris Ngige is scheduled to be arraigned in court on Friday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on multiple counts of alleged contract fraud linked to his time in public office.

The arraignment is expected to take place at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gwarimpa, Abuja, after the anti-graft agency filed an eight-count charge alleging that Ngige used his position to confer undue advantage by awarding contracts to companies associated with him while supervising the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund between September 2015 and May 2023.

Ngige was arrested on Wednesday in Abuja and has been in the custody of the EFCC as the investigation progresses. His media aide, Fred Chukwuelobe, clarified that the former minister was not kidnapped amid social media speculation, affirming that Ngige is in the custody of the EFCC and that reports of abduction were unfounded.

Court documents show that the various counts allege that Ngige awarded consultancy, training, supply and construction contracts worth hundreds of millions of naira to companies linked to associates, including Cezimo Nigeria Limited, Zitacom Nigeria Limited, Jeff & Xris Limited, Olde English Consolidated Limited and Shale Atlantic Intercontinental Services Limited. If called upon, Ngige is expected to enter his plea when the case is heard later today.

As of the time of reporting there has been no public statement from the EFCC or Ngige’s legal team elaborating further on the specifics of the allegations or the defence strategy.