A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has granted Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige, a former Minister of Labour and Employment and ex-governor of Anambra State, bail in his ongoing corruption trial. The decision came on 18 December 2025, after Ngige was arraigned earlier in the week on an eight-count charge involving alleged contract fraud and unlawful receipt of cash gifts valued at over ₦2.2 billion while he served as supervising minister of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).
Justice Mariam Hassan of the FCT High Court adopted the administrative bail terms previously issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on self-recognition and added specific conditions ahead of the trial. The judge ordered Ngige to produce a surety who must be a Federal Government director owning landed property in the Federal Capital Territory and to submit documentation confirming the property’s title. The surety must also deposit his international travel documents with the court registrar.
Under the bail terms, Ngige will remain at the Kuje Correctional Centre until the bail conditions are perfected. The court explained that the offences he faces are bailable and stressed the constitutional presumption of innocence until proven guilty, a principle that guided the decision to grant conditional release.
Ngige has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The trial is expected to proceed after the bail conditions are met, with a commencement date scheduled for January 28–29, 2026.
