EFCC Set to Arraign Ex-Minister Chris Ngige

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is expected to bring former Minister of Labour and Productivity and ex-Anambra State governor, Dr. Chris Ngige, before a court today.

Ngige was taken from his Abuja residence yesterday by roughly 20 EFCC operatives from the agency’s Wuse II Zonal Office in what a family member described as a “commando-style raid.”

According to the family source, he was not allowed to change his clothes and was led away still in his pyjamas.

The former governor had previously been on administrative bail after being invited and questioned by the EFCC over undisclosed issues. He had maintained communication with the agency and returned his travel documents as instructed.

However, during a medical trip to the United States, Ngige reportedly lost his passport while in the United Kingdom en route to the US. The incident forced him to abandon the trip and return to Nigeria. He then obtained temporary travel papers from the Nigerian High Commission in the UK to travel back to Abuja.

Upon his return, Ngige was said to have drafted a letter to notify the EFCC about the loss of his passport and explain that he no longer had the document to return. He had not yet delivered the letter when EFCC operatives arrived at his home on Justice Mohammed Bello Road, Asokoro, and took him away.

Ngige has reportedly expressed surprise at the arrest, insisting he did not violate the conditions of his administrative bail and had fully cooperated with the agency.

Sources indicate that he will likely be arraigned in court, where his legal team is expected to present arguments and possibly seek bail.

Opinion Nigeria News