A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Gwarimpa in Abuja, on Friday turned down an oral bail application made by former Minister of Labour Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige and ordered his remand at Kuje prison till December 15.
His formal bail application, prepared by a senior advocate of Nigeria,, Patrick Ikwuet, could not be argued before the court because it was not ripe for hearing.
Ngige, a former governor of Anambra state, was arraigned before the court on Friday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on an eight-count charge of corrupt practices.
He however pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyer, Patrick Ikwueto, SAN, made spirited efforts to argue the written bail application but was vehemently opposed by EFCC counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, who claimed that he had just been served with the application and needs to react to it formally.
An attempt by Ikwueto to move the oral application was turned down by Justice Maryam Aliyu Hassan.
The judge, while rejecting the oral application, ordered that the formal application be argued on Monday December 15. Justice Maryam ordered that Ngige be remanded at the Kuje prison till Monday.
In the eight-count charge, marked “FCT/HC/CR/726/2025,” the former minister was the sole defendant.
In the charge dated October 31 and filed on December 9 by Sylvanus Tahir, Ngige was accused of committing the offences while serving as Minister of Labour under the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
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).
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.
Ngige 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 allegedly 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.
In count five, the ex-minister was alleged to have used his position to confer unfair advantage upon Shale Atlantic Intercontinental Services Limited, a company whose MD and CEO and alter ego, Uzoma Igbonwa, is his associate.
Ngige was said to have awarded four contracts by NSITF to the said company for consultancy, training and supply to the tune of N161,604,625.00 (one hundred and sixty one million, six hundred and four thousand, six hundred and twenty five naira) only.
The offences were contrary to and punishable under Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
In count six, the defendant was alleged to have corruptly accepted a gift to the tune of N38, 650,000 (thirty eight million, six hundred and fifty thousand naira) only, through his “organisation called Senator (Dr) Chris Nwabueze Ngige Campaign Organisation from Cezimo Nigeria Limited (Zenith Bank Account Number 1011901119), a contractor with NSITF, while performing your official act as Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment.”
In count seven, Ngige was alleged to have, while being the minister between September 2015 to May 2023, did corruptly accept a gift, to the tune of N55,003,000 (fifty five million, three thousand naira) only.
The “gift” was received through his organisation called “Senator (Dr) Chris Ngige Scholarship Scheme from Zitacom Nigeria Limited (Zenith Bank Account Number 1017263219), a contractor NSITF, while performing your official act as Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment.”
Also in count eight, the former minister was allegedly to have corruptly accepted a gift, to the tune of N26,130,000 (twenty six million, one hundred and thirty thousand naira) only, through his organisation called Senator (Dr) Chris Ngige Scholarship Scheme.
The money was received from Jeff & Xris Limited (Zenith Bank Account Number 1011533930), a contractor with NSITF, while performing his official act as Minister of Labour and Employment.
The offences were contrary to Section 17(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under section 17(c) of the same Act.
