The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has interrogated Chris Ngige, the former Minister of Labour and Employment, regarding alleged malpractices in the awarding of contracts at the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), which he supervised during his tenure.
The NSITF, under the purview of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, has been embroiled in multiple corruption scandals in recent years.
Notably, in January 2023, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Adebayo Aderibigbe, a former NSITF general manager, for allegedly defrauding the fund of N60.4 million.
Speaking to TheCable, Demola Bakare, the ICPC spokesperson, confirmed Ngige’s involvement in the investigation but clarified that he was neither arrested nor detained.
“He was not arrested, he was not detained. He is helping us out with the investigation,” Bakare said.
“He is assisting in the investigation, but he was not detained,” the spokesperson reiterated, without offering further details on the nature of the allegations.