Ngige in EFCC custody, not kidnapped — Media Aide
Fred Chukwuelobe, Media Aide to former Governor of Anambra State and former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has dismissed reports claiming that his boss had been kidnapped from his Abuja residence.
He stated on Thursday via Facebook that Chris Ngige was not abducted but currently in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“I have been receiving calls in the past hour from friends and journalists seeking the veracity of the news.
“His Excellency, Dr Chris Ngige, has not been kidnapped. Ngige is with the EFCC. He was not ‘abducted’ or ‘kidnapped’,” he wrote.
Though the reason for the former Minister’s detention remains unclear, as the EFCC was yet to issue any statement on the subject, Chukwuelobe promised to provide further details subsequently.
Ngige had in 2024 been questioned by the ICPC over alleged job racketeering and irregular contract awards at the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), after inviting top officials linked to a disputed ₦47 million gratuity payment and suspected contract breaches totalling ₦1.8 billion.
While he was not detained at the time he was informed of further invitations in the course of the investigation.
