Ngige Visits ICPC Over Contracts Scam, Alleged Job Racketeering

Former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has been questioned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over allegations of jobs racketeering and contracts scam at the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

Ngige, who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari, is accused of malpractices and abuse of office in contracts’ award at NSITF, supervised by the Labour Ministry under his watch for eight years.

ICPC spokesman, Demola Bakare, who confirmed the development, said Ngige was invited by the anti-graft Agency to its headquarters in Abuja to answers relevant questions and provide further insights concerning an ongoing investigation.

Bakare did not give further details of the allegations but said the former Anambra State Governor may have to keep another date with the Commission as investigations into the allegations continue.

According to him, contrary to some reports in the media space, the former Minister was not detained on Wednesday when he reported to the Commission for questioning.

Forefront News notes that the anti-corruption Commission had earlier invited some top officials of the NSITF to question them about the alleged payment of an ₦47 million gratuity to the immediate past Managing Director of the Agency, Maureen Allagoa when she was still in active service.

Determined to unravel the circumstances surrounding the alleged payment and some contracts awarded by the Fund, Senator Simon Lalong, who succeeded Ngige at the Labour Ministry, had set up a special investigative committee before his resignation from the Federal Cabinet and eventual return to the Nigerian Senate.

The Committee was also mandated to probe the alleged irregularities in different contract awards up to the tune of ₦1.8 billion in the Agency.

It was after the ICPC and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) waded into the matter that the anti-corruption body invited Ngige to offer the needed clarification on the various issues involved.

Unfortunately, the NSITF has, over the years, been plagued with serious corruption allegations. Back in January 2023, the EFCC arraigned a former General Manager and Head of Legal Services of the NSITF, Adebayo Aderibigbe, over alleged fraud.

Aderibigbe was accused of obtaining from the Fund by false pretence and converting into his personal account the sum of N60,400,000.