The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to arraign former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, before Justice Mariam Hassan of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Gwarinpa.
He is set to be arraigned on an eight-count charge. Ngige, former Anambra State Governor, 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 Sylvanus Tahir (SAN), Ngige was alleged to have committed the offences while serving as Minister of Labour under the 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.
