The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, December 15, opposed the bail application of former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, following his arraignment before Justice M.A. Hassan of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Gwarimpa, Abuja.
Arguing on behalf of the prosecution, Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, urged the court to exercise caution in granting bail, alleging that Ngige violated the terms of an earlier administrative bail granted by the EFCC. According to Tahir, the former minister failed to return his international passport after being permitted to travel abroad for medical reasons, despite undertaking to do so.
Tahir told the court that Ngige was expected to return the passport by November 19, 2025, but failed to comply until he was subsequently arrested by the commission. He questioned Ngige’s claim that the passport was lost in the United Kingdom, arguing that the defendant should have obtained a police report or affidavit of loss in the country where the passport was allegedly misplaced.
“What stopped him from obtaining a police report in London?” Tahir asked, adding that securing an affidavit of loss in Nigeria undermined the credibility of the claim. He argued that the defendant was in “gross breach” of the administrative bail conditions and urged the court not to replicate those terms.
The prosecution further submitted that Ngige’s actions violated Section 162 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, and called for the bail application to be refused in favour of an accelerated trial.
In response, defence counsel Patrick Ikweato, SAN, appealed to the court to grant bail, stating that all relevant grounds had been outlined in the written application before the court.
Justice Hassan adjourned the matter to Thursday, December 18, 2025, for ruling on the bail application.
Ngige is facing an eight-count charge bordering on alleged contract fraud and acceptance of gifts amounting to ₦2.26 billion.