ICPC Quizzes Ngige Over ‘Contracts, Job Racketeering’

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has questioned former Labour and Employment Minister, Chris Ngige, over alleged involvement in contracts and job racketeering during his tenure.

The ex-minister reportedly spent about five hours on Wednesday with ICPC detectives answering probing questions about certain contracts awarded under the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) during his time in office.

Sources close to the case who spoke with Daily Trust indicated that Ngige was asked to clarify his role in various contract awards, including the controversial multi-million naira electronic NSITF project, commonly referred to as e-NSITF, which had received approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ngige’s questioning comes after earlier ICPC investigations into the NSITF.

The agency had already invited top officials from NSITF over the payment of N47 million in gratuity to former NSITF Managing Director, Mrs. Maureen Allagoa, while she was still serving in office.

Furthermore, it was revealed that Simon Lalong, Ngige’s successor in the Ministry of Labour, had set up a committee to investigate allegations of irregularities involving contracts worth ₦1.8 billion within NSITF.

Ngige’s invitation had initially been delayed due to his medical check-ups in the United States, but he finally appeared before the ICPC as part of ongoing probes into his time at the ministry.

One of the operatives said, “Yes, our detectives had interaction with him. We had since invited him in line with our SOP but he told us he was outside the country. So, we had to give him some time to finish what he went to do in the US. So, he honoured our invitation yesterday (Wednesday).”

An ally of the former minister clarified that Ngige was not arrested as claimed by some people, saying he had since left the headquarters of the anti-graft agency in Abuja after providing necessary explanations.

He said, “He was invited when he was out of the country to make clarification on some claims made by staff and he went there on his own yesterday to make clarifications. He wasn’t arrested by anyone.

“He went on his own, made clarification based on submissions made by staff over ministerial/presidential approval of some issues and he left immediately after that.”