THE Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, December 18, granted bail to former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.
Ngige is standing trial over alleged ₦2.2 billion contract fraud filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The presiding judge, Maryam Hassan granted the bail after hearing arguments from both parties, six days after the former minister was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his bail application.
Ngige, a former governor of Anambra State, was arraigned on December 12 and pleaded not guilty to an eight-count charge bordering on abuse of office and receipt of gratification while supervising the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) between September 2015 and May 2023.
In her ruling, Hassan overruled the prosecution’s objection to bail, holding that bail conditions must be reasonable and not punitive.
She noted that imposing overly stringent conditions would amount to a denial of bail.
The court granted bail on the condition that Ngige produces one surety, who must be a director-level officer in a federal government establishment.
The surety is also required to own a landed property within Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and submit the property’s certificate of occupancy to the court.
Hassan further ordered that the former governor surrender his international passport after obtaining a replacement, following his claim that the original passport was stolen.
Pending the perfection of the bail terms, the judge directed that Ngige should continue on the administrative bail earlier granted to him by the EFCC.
Ngige had earlier been granted administrative bail by the EFCC in October 2025 on self-recognisance and one surety, which allowed him to travel abroad for medical treatment on the condition that he returned his passport upon arrival.
During his arraignment last week, EFCC counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, a senior advocate, urged the court to remand the former minister pending trial.
However, defence counsel, Patrick Ikwueto, also a senior advocate, opposed the request, citing Ngige’s health condition and the fact that he had already spent several days in EFCC custody before being brought to court.
Ikwueto argued that the offences were not capital in nature and did not warrant denial of bail, insisting that correctional facilities lacked adequate medical capacity to manage his client’s health challenges.
Following the ruling, EFCC counsel, Eunice Daylo, requested a trial date, and the court fixed January 28 and 29, 2026, for the commencement of hearing.
The ICIR reports that the EFCC alleged that Ngige abused his office by approving multiple consultancy, training, supply, and construction contracts in favour of companies linked to his associates.
According to the charge sheet, Cezimo Nigeria Limited allegedly received contracts worth ₦366.4 million, while Zitacom Nigeria Limited was said to have secured contracts valued at ₦583.6 million.
Other firms listed include Jeff & Xris Limited, Olde English Consolidated Limited, and Shale Atlantic Intercontinental Services Limited, with combined contract values running into hundreds of millions of naira.
The commission further alleged that Ngige received cash gifts totalling over ₦93 million through organisations linked to him from companies doing business with the NSITF.
Ngige pleaded not guilty to all charges and will now stand trial beginning later in January.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M