ICPC quizzes Ngige over NSITF contracts

Former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, was questioned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over contract irregularities and job racketeering at the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

The spokesperson for the ICPC, Demola Bakare, confirmed Ngige’s invitation.

“He was invited and interrogated on some issues and was released to go,” Bakare said.

It was gathered that Ngige spent over five hours with ICPC investigators on Wednesday, responding to questions about the awarding of certain contracts.

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It was learned that the former minister, who said he was out of the country, was questioned on issues related to the awarding of contracts and job racketeering, among others under him.

Also, he was questioned on the e-NSITF, for which he got approval from the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The ICPC had earlier summoned several top officials of the NSITF for questioning over a N47m gratuity paid to the immediate past Managing Director, Maureen Allagoa, while she was still in service.

There have been several corruption allegations over the years concerning NSITF.

One of such was in January 2023, when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Adebayo Aderibigbe, a former general manager and head of legal services of the NSITF, over alleged fraud.