On September 4, 2024, Chris Ngige, the former Minister of Labour and Employment under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, was questioned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for five hours regarding his involvement in alleged contract and job racketeering. The investigation centers around activities that took place during his tenure, particularly concerning contracts awarded at the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).
Ngige was summoned to the ICPC headquarters in Abuja, where he responded to probing questions from the commission’s detectives. The inquiry also relates to the payment of ₦47 million in gratuity to the former Managing Director of NSITF, Maureen Allagoa, while she was still actively employed. Additionally, his successor, Senator Simon Lalong, has launched a special investigative committee to examine alleged irregularities in various contract awards totaling ₦1.8 billion within the NSITF.
Ngige was invited for questioning while he was in the United States for medical reasons. He honored the invitation upon his return to Nigeria. Sources within the ICPC confirmed that he provided necessary clarifications on the matters in question and was not under arrest.
An associate of Ngige emphasized that he voluntarily attended the session and left immediately after offering explanations. However, ICPC spokesperson Demola Bakare stated that he was unaware of the situation but promised to investigate further.
