Court Grants Former Labour Minister Chris Ngige Bail in Alleged Corruption Trial
The Federal High Court has granted bail to former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, in the ongoing corruption case instituted against him.
Ruling on the bail application, Justice Maryam Hassan adopted the terms of the administrative bail earlier granted to the defendant by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In addition, the court ordered Ngige to produce one surety who must be a director on the Federal Government payroll and possess a verifiable property within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Justice Hassan also directed the former minister to deposit his travel documents with the court as part of the bail conditions.
While delivering the ruling, the judge stressed that the grant of bail remains at the discretion of the court, noting that bail conditions should not be unreasonable or overly stringent. She further emphasized that judicial powers must be exercised judiciously and not arbitrarily.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter to January 28 and 29, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
Ngige had earlier applied for bail following his arraignment, and the court had reserved ruling on the application after adjourning proceedings to December 18.
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