The legal team of former Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has reacted to the recent court order sending him to Kuje Correctional Centre. Justice Maryam Aliyu Hassan of the High Court of the FCT in Gwarinpa directed that he remain in custody while the court prepares to hear his bail application. The development has drawn public attention, and his lawyer, Patrick Ikwueto, SAN, has stepped forward to explain what the case is really about.
According to Ikwueto, there is a misunderstanding in the public about the allegations. He stressed that the charges do not accuse the former minister of stealing or embezzling federal government money. Instead, the case focuses on the process used to award contracts within the ministry and its agencies during the period Ngige served as minister. The lawyer argued that contract approvals in a ministry are not handled by one person alone, suggesting that the accusations relate more to procedural issues than to the misuse of public funds.
He also pointed to Ngige’s record in public service, saying his achievements as a former governor and senator are still visible today. To him, this background matters because it shows that Ngige has previously managed public responsibilities without accusations of financial wrongdoing.
Ikwueto maintained that it is important for the public to clearly understand the nature of the charges so that false impressions do not spread.
In his words, “People must know this, he’s not being charged for embezzling funds of the federal government.”
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