The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has filed an
eight-count charge against former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris
Ngige over alleged contract fraud.
Ngige is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday at the FCT High
Court in Gwarimpa, Abuja.
The charge, dated October 31 and filed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Sylvanus Tahir alongside five other lawyers on behalf of the EFCC, alleges that Ngige used his position as a former minister to confer undue advantage by awarding contracts to associates and companies believed to be linked to him.
Details of the charge
In Count 1, Ngige is accused of, between September 2015 and
May 2023, using his role as supervising Minister of the Nigeria Social
Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) to benefit Cezimo Nigeria Limited. The company,
whose MD/CEO is Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles and considered Ngige’s associate,
allegedly received seven contracts for consultancy, training, and supply worth
₦366,470,920.68. The EFCC claims this constituted an offence under Section 19
of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. He allegedly
awarded seven different contracts for consultancy, training and supply by the
NSITF to the said company to the tune of ₦366,470,920.68 (Three Hundred and
Sixty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty
Naira and Sixty Eight Kobo) and thereby committed an offence contrary to and
punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Act, 2000.
Other companies mentioned in the charge are Zitacom Nigeria
Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Ezebinwa Amarachukwu Charles was
awarded of eight different contracts for supply, training and consultancy, with
the NSITF to the tune of ₦583,682,686.00 (Five Hundred and Eighty Three
Million, Six Hundred and Eighty Two Thousand, Six Hundred and Eighty Six Naira
and Jeff & Xris Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Nwosu
Jideofor Chukwunwike also got eight different contracts to the tune of
₦362,043,163.16 (Three Hundred and Sixty Two Million, Forty Three Thousand, One
Hundred and Sixty Three Naira and Sixteen Kobo).
Others are Olde English Consolidated Limited, a company whose
MD/CEO, Uzoma Igbonwa got the award of four different contracts for
consultancy, training and construction by the NSITF to the tune of
₦668,138,141.00 (Six Hundred and Sixty Eight Million, One Hundred and Thirty
Eight Thousand, One Hundred and Forty One Naira) and Shale Atlantic
Intercontinental Services Limited, a company whose MD/CEO and alter ego, Uzoma
Igbonwa got the award of four different contracts to the tune of ₦161,604,625.00
(One Hundred and Sixty One Million, Six Hundred and Four Thousand, Six Hundred
and Twenty Five Naira.
The EFCC alleges that these awards were improperly conferred
to benefit Ngige’s associates and constitute violations of anti-corruption
laws.
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