JUST IN: Court Remands Chris Ngige to Kuje Prison Over ₦2.2bn Corruption Allegations, Adjourns Case to December 15

Former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, has been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre as he awaits the hearing of his bail application, following corruption allegations totaling N2.2 billion. The order was issued on Friday by Justice Mariam Hassan of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, which adjourned the case to Monday, December 15, for the bail hearing.

Ngige, who also served as the governor of Anambra State, was arraigned on an eight-count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). During the proceedings, EFCC counsel Sylvanus Tahir requested that Ngige be remanded in custody pending the trial, while the defence highlighted that he had already spent three days in EFCC custody, emphasizing his public profile and ongoing health concerns.

The charges, filed in December and covering alleged offences committed during his tenure as Labour Minister, involve awarding contracts to companies linked to associates. Counts one through four allege that Ngige used his position to give undue advantage to Cezimo Nigeria Limited, Zitacom Nigeria Limited, Jeff & Xris Limited, and Olde English Consolidated Limited, awarding contracts for consultancy, training, supply, and construction totaling over ₦1.9 billion. The case marks a significant development in the EFCC’s ongoing efforts to investigate high-profile corruption in public office.