High Stakes for Former Minister: Chris Ngige Remanded as Bail Decision Nears

The legal drama surrounding former Minister of Labour and Employment and former Governor of Anambra State, Chris Ngige, intensified on Monday as the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Gwarimpa, Abuja, ordered his remand at the Kuje Correctional Center. This decision came shortly after arguments were heard for and against his bail application following his arraignment last Friday on an eight-count charge of alleged corrupt practices, to which he pleaded not guilty. The fate of the former minister now hangs in the balance, with Justice Maryam Hassan fixing the ruling on the crucial bail request for December 18.

Ngige’s lead counsel, Patrick Ikwueto SAN, vigorously pleaded with the court to grant bail, basing his appeal primarily on health grounds. Ikwueto assured the court that the former minister was not a flight risk, lacked the capacity to leave the country presently, and would neither jump bail nor interfere with witnesses if released. His legal team sought to convince the judge that granting temporary freedom was necessary and safe given their client’s situation.

However, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, staunchly opposed the application, casting Ngige as a definitive flight risk. Tahir made compelling submissions, revealing that Ngige was previously granted administrative bail by the EFCC specifically to travel abroad for medical care, but he allegedly failed to report back to the agency upon his return. Furthermore, the counsel highlighted a serious point of contention: the passport released to Ngige for the medical trip was never returned. Tahir argued that it was only upon his recent re-arrest that the former minister produced a purported claim of a lost passport, which the EFCC counsel dismissed as a suspicious and calculated afterthought, urging the court to reject the bail request as frivolous.

After considering the starkly opposing arguments—the plea for bail based on health and assurances versus the EFCC’s claims of flight risk and passport irregularities—Justice Hassan reserved her ruling. The order for remand until the December 18 decision underscores the gravity with which the court is treating the charges and the conflicting evidence regarding the defendant’s compliance with previous bail terms. All eyes will be on the FCT High Court next week as the judgment on Ngige’s immediate freedom is delivered.