By Wellington Jopelo
A Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Gwarinpa, Abuja, has ordered that former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, remain on the administrative bail earlier granted to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The ruling was delivered on Thursday by Justice Maryam Hassan while considering a bail application filed on Ngige’s behalf by his lead counsel, Patrick Ikwueto, SAN. The court upheld the subsisting bail but introduced additional conditions to ensure compliance with the ongoing proceedings.
Justice Hassan directed the former minister to provide a new surety who must be a serving director within the Federal Government. The surety is also required to own landed property and present valid title documents to the court as part of the bail conditions.
In addition, the court ordered that the surety deposit both the property documents and his travel documents with the court. This requirement, the judge noted, will remain in force until Ngige completes the process of retrieving his international passport.
Ngige had earlier been granted administrative bail by the EFCC on self-recognition, with instructions to submit his travel documents to the commission and present a single surety.
The court’s ruling effectively maintains Ngige’s freedom while tightening the conditions attached to his bail, pending further developments in the case.
More details are expected to emerge as proceedings continue.