A former governor of Anambra State and the immediate past Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, is being held by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and has not been kidnapped, his media aide said on Wednesday.
The clarification came after a wave of speculation and panic spread through political circles. Fred Chukwuelobe, Ngige’s media aide, issued a brief statement to set the record straight, saying he had been inundated with calls from journalists, associates and well‑wishers asking whether the former minister had been abducted.
Ngige’s detention is linked to long‑standing corruption allegations. The EFCC previously produced a report accusing him of diverting or laundering more than N46 billion earmarked for Anambra’s local governments during his tenure as governor. While serving as Minister of Labour and Employment, he was also questioned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) – with EFCC support – over alleged contract irregularities and “job‑racketeering” at the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).
Attempts to obtain an independent confirmation from the EFCC were unsuccessful; the commission’s spokesman, Dele Oyewale,
Chukwuelobe added that further details would be released as the situation develops, and his statement helped calm the initial public anxiety, refocusing attention on the EFCC’s ongoing engagement with the former minister.
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