A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Gwarimpa, Abuja, has granted bail to a former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige.
Ngige is standing trial before the court on an eight-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), bordering on alleged abuse of office and acceptance of gifts valued at about ₦2.2 billion.
The EFCC alleged that Ngige received the gifts from contractors of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) while he served as the supervising minister between September 2015 and May 2023.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, the trial judge, Justice Mariam Hassan, granted the former minister bail on the same terms as the administrative bail earlier granted him by the EFCC.
Justice Hassan ordered Ngige to provide a surety who must be a director-level officer and owner of landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.
The judge further ruled that since Ngige claimed his international passport was misplaced, his surety must deposit his own international passport with the court. The passport, she said, would only be released when Ngige produces a replacement for his own.
The court adjourned the case to January 28 and 29, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
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