The Federal Capital Territory High Court has ordered that former Minister of Labour and governor of Anambra state Dr. Chris Ngige be remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged him with an alleged ₦2.2 billion fraud.

Justice Mariam Hassan gave the remand order and postponed the case to Monday, December 15, when the court will hear Ngige’s bail application.

Ngige, the only defendant in the eight-count charge FCT/HC/CR/726/2025, arrived the court with EFCC officials on Friday morning.

The charges amounted to offences that allegedly took place while Ngige was the supervising Minister of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) from September 2015 to May 2023, under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

EFCC Counsel Sylvanus Tahir asked the court to set a trial date and requested that Ngige stay in the agency’s custody until the bail hearing.

Ngige’s lawyer opposed the request, pointing out that Ngige had already spent three days in EFCC custody.

He argued that Ngige is a well-known public figure and said he is ready to meet any bail conditions. The defense also mentioned Ngige’s reported poor health and the need for medical care.

​The eight counts detail how Ngige allegedly used his position to confer unfair advantages on four companies linked to his associates by awarding multiple contracts from the NSITF. The contracts amount to over ₦2.2 billion.

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