Former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, was on Friday arraigned before an Abuja High Court in Gwarinpa by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over an alleged N2.2 billion contract fraud.
Justice Maryam Hassan directed that Ngige be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre, ahead of the hearing of his bail application scheduled for Monday, December 14.
Ngige entered a not guilty plea to eight counts that accuse him of abusing his office and receiving gifts from contractors of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund during his tenure as supervising minister from September 2015 to May 2023.
Following the plea, EFCC counsel Sylvanus Tahir, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, requested a trial date and urged the court to keep the defendant in custody.
The defence lead counsel, Patrick Ikwueto (SAN), however, opposed the EFCC’s submission and urged the court to grant his client bail on health grounds, noting that the former minister had been in EFCC custody for three days prior to the arraignment.
He argued that the allegations were not comparable to terrorism or treason charges that would justify denying bail.
He also challenged the EFCC’s application, saying the defence was not given time to respond.
“We were not allowed time to file our own counter-affidavit. If the prosecution will give us time, we will.”
The prosecution, however, countered him, noting that the defendant’s alleged offence was not trivial and should not be downplayed by the defence.
He told the court that Ngige failed to return his international passport after he was permitted to travel for medical treatment in October.
The court adjourned the matter to December 14 and ordered Ngige’s remand in Kuje.
