Former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, has been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of the bail application.

Justice Mariam Hassan of the Federal Capital Territory High Court issued the remand order on Friday, after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned the ex-Anambra governor in court over a N2.2bn corruption allegation.

The judge also adjourned the case to 15th December for the hearing of the bail application.

Ngige was arraigned on an eight-count charge.

The EFCC Counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, asked the high court on Friday for a date for the commencement of the trial.

Before the date, Tahir requested that the accused be remanded in the custody of the anti-graft commission.

However, the counsel to the defendant said his client has been in the EFCC custody for the past three days.

He said the defendant is not an unknown person in the country, having served as a minister, up until a year and three months ago.

Ngige’s counsel argued that they will meet any bail condition for his client, saying the ex-minister is not in good health and needs to get to the hospital.

The former minister had arrived at the premises of the court, alongside a team of EFCC officials, at about 8:10 am.

In the eight-count charge, marked: FCT/HC/CR/726/2025, the former minister was the sole defendant.

According to the charge dated October 31 and filed on December 9 by a team of lawyers, led by Tahir, Ngige was alleged to have committed the offences while serving as Minister of Labour under the administration of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.

In count one, the defendant was alleged 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.

Ngige was said to have awarded seven contracts for consultancy, training, and supply by the NSITF to the said company to the tune of ₦366,470,920.68 (Three Hundred and Sixty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty Naira and Sixty Eight Kobo).

In count two, the defendant 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 ₦583,682,686.00 (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/CEO and alter ego, 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 ₦362,043,163.16 (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 ₦668,138,141.00 (Six Hundred and Sixty Eight Million, One Hundred and Thirty Eight Thousand, One Hundred and Forty One Naira) only. (Channels)

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