A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Gwarinpa, Abuja, on Thursday granted bail to a former Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, who is standing trial over alleged contract fraud amounting to more than ₦2.2 billion.
In a ruling delivered by Justice Maryam Hassan, the court adopted the administrative bail earlier granted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). As part of the conditions, Ngige is to provide a surety who must be a civil servant not below the rank of director and an owner of landed property within the FCT. He was also ordered to surrender his international passport and barred from travelling outside Nigeria without court approval.
Justice Hassan dismissed the EFCC’s objection to the bail application, holding that the court retains the discretion to grant bail and must exercise such discretion judicially and judiciously. The court subsequently fixed January 28 and 29, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
Ngige, who served as minister between November 2015 and May 2023, was arraigned on December 12 on an eight-count charge bordering on abuse of office and receipt of kickbacks in relation to contracts awarded by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). He pleaded not guilty to all the charges and was initially remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his bail application.
The EFCC alleged that Ngige used his office to confer unfair advantage on companies linked to his associates through the award of multiple NSITF contracts and the receipt of funds allegedly disguised as campaign donations and scholarship payments. The offences are said to be contrary to provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
