The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Gwaripa, Abuja, has adjourned until December 18 for ruling on the bail application filed by former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige.
Justice Maryam Hassan made the adjournment on Tuesday after Ngige’s lawyer requested bail, arguing that the former minister is not a flight risk.
The lawyer noted that Ngige had previously been on administrative bail granted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prior to his latest arrest.
Ngige’s counsel explained that the former minister had been allowed to travel to the UK for medical treatment, with his international passport released by the EFCC.
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Upon his return, Ngige reportedly misplaced the passport and returned to Nigeria using a travel certificate.
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The prosecution, led by Sylvanus Tahir, opposed the bail application, arguing that Ngige did not report the loss of his passport to the EFCC immediately upon his return.
Instead, he only filed an affidavit of loss at the Maitama Police Station after his arrest, which the prosecution described as “an afterthought.”
Tahir further noted that under immigration law, lost travel documents should be reported to the local police where the loss occurred.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Hassan adjourned the matter to December 18 for a decision on the bail request.
Ngige was arraigned by the EFCC on an eight-count corruption charge. The commission alleges that he abused his position to confer undue advantages on companies linked to his associates and received kickbacks from these entities.
