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Ex-labour minister Ngige arraigned, remanded in Kuje prison

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Dr. Chris Ngige
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A former Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, was on Friday arraigned before an Abuja High Court sitting in Gwarinpa by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged N2.2bn contract fraud.

Justice Maryam Hassan ordered that the former minister be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his bail application, fixed for Monday, December 14.

Ngige pleaded not guilty to eight counts bordering on abuse of office and acceptance of gifts from contractors of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund while he served as its supervising minister between September 2015 and May 2023.

After the plea, EFCC counsel, Sylvanus Tahir (SAN), applied for a trial date and asked the court to remand the defendant.

He said, “In view of the not guilty plea entered by the defendant, we humbly apply for the trial date. We further pray my Lord that the accused person be remanded at the Kuje prison pending the commencement of the full trial.”

The defence lead counsel, Patrick Ikwueto (SAN), however, opposed the EFCC’s submission and urged the court to grant his client bail on health grounds, noting that the former minister had been in EFCC custody for three days prior to the arraignment.

He said, “The defendant has taken his plea, and your lordship is now in full control of this trial. As I mentioned earlier, the defendant has been in the custody of the EFCC for the past three days, during which the charge was served on him. We can see the charge was filed yesterday and assigned to this Court.

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“The issue of whether he will be granted bail or not is a right in our Constitution. The defendant is not an unknown person in this country. I don’t think there is anybody in this country who will say they don’t know the defendant. Even from the charge, it was stated that he was a minister of this country.

“I urge your Lordship to grant the defendant bail, and we are ready to grant any requirement your Lordship will put to grant him bail. Even this morning, he mentioned how he needs to go to the hospital. The prosecution is asking for his remand, knowing fully well they don’t have the facility to cater to his health issues at Kuje.

He argued that the allegations were not comparable to terrorism or treason charges that would justify denying bail.

“It’s not like he ate the ministry’s money or that of NSTIF. The trial will start, and we will see how those contracts were awarded. It’s not a terrorism charge or treason offence,” Ikwueto stated.

He also challenged the EFCC’s application, saying the defence was not given time to respond.

“We were not allowed time to file our own counter-affidavit. If the prosecution will give us time, we will.”

The prosecution, however, countered him, noting that the defendant’s alleged offence was not trivial and should not be downplayed by the defence.

“The offences with which the defendant was charged are by no means minute; they are rather enormous crimes that if found guilty, he will spend nothing less than five years in prison because of the attempt to trivialise the crime and bamboozle the Court,” the prosecution said.

He told the court that Ngige failed to return his international passport after he was permitted to travel for medical treatment in October.

The court adjourned the matter to December 14 and ordered Ngige’s remand in Kuje.

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Arewa APC Forum withdraws support for Tinubu citing nepotism, incompetence

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The Arewa APC Forum, Kano State chapter, has announced the withdrawal of its support for the second-term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, citing concerns over governance and leadership direction.

In a statement dated April 17, 2026, the forum said its decision followed “extensive consultations and careful reflection” on the state of affairs at the federal level.

The group stated that it could no longer, “in good conscience,” continue to support the current administration, which it criticised over alleged issues including nepotism, incompetence, and corruption.

“We believe that leadership must inspire confidence, uphold fairness, and demonstrate a sincere commitment to national unity, institutional integrity, and responsible governance,” the statement read.

It added that where such values are persistently undermined, “silence becomes complicity.”

The forum further declared that its confidence in the current political direction has been withdrawn, urging its members to align with this position in future political engagements.

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The statement was signed by Sallah Hakilu Kibiya, chairman of the forum in Kano State.

The development signals potential cracks within support structures linked to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly in the northern region, as political alignments begin to shift ahead of the next electoral cycle.

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Sen. Ngwu donates security gadgets to Forest Guards, lauds Mbah’s investment in security

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The Senator representing Enugu West Senatorial District, Senator Osita Ngwu, has donated critical security equipment to the Enugu State Forest Guard to bolster its operational capacity and sustain the state’s strides in combating insecurity.

The donation, made on Friday at the Forest Guard Command headquarters in Enugu, included tested body armour, bulletproof vests and helmets, long-range binoculars, communication radios, and first aid materials aimed at improving field efficiency and personnel safety.

Speaking during the presentation, Senator Ngwu commended Governor Peter Mbah for what he described as unprecedented investment in the state’s security architecture, noting that Enugu has emerged as a reference point in security management.

“To the glory of God, we have a governor who is overperforming and understands what governance entails across all sectors. Particularly in security, only a few people know that the Command and Control Centre in Enugu is currently the best in Nigeria,” he said.

He added that the level of sophistication of the centre surpasses what is obtainable even at the federal level, stressing that the infrastructure has significantly strengthened efforts to safeguard lives and property.

The lawmaker explained that his intervention was inspired by the governor’s commitment to security, emphasizing that governance requires collective responsibility.

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He called on citizens to support security agencies with timely and credible information.

“There is a saying in security: if you see something, you must say something. Without information, the work becomes more difficult,” he noted.

Ngwu also acknowledged that insecurity can heighten during election periods, sometimes driven by political activities, but maintained that a responsible government must remain proactive in tackling threats and ensuring that criminal elements are brought to justice.

Highlighting the state’s Security Trust Fund, he noted that it supports multiple security agencies, including the police, army, DSS, neighbourhood watch, and the Forest Guard, adding that his donation was a modest contribution to complement the governor’s efforts.

Reacting, the Chairman of the Enugu State Forest Guard Board, Col. Daniel Chukwu (rtd.), described the donation as timely, recalling that the agency initially met a “broken and dysfunctional system” which required rebuilding from the ground up.

“We thank the governor for the enabling environment and unwavering support. Every proposal aimed at improving operations and welfare receives prompt approval,” he said.

Chukwu disclosed that the first batch of personnel had been trained in Osun State, with positive results already evident, and urged other stakeholders to emulate the senator’s gesture.

Also speaking, the Commander of the Forest Guard, DCP Olasoji Akinbayo (rtd) described the donation as a morale booster, noting that it would enhance ongoing operations across the state’s forests.

“You have set the ball rolling with this uncommon act. We expect more support from citizens so that we can do more,” he said.

He further revealed that the state government had procured over 1,000 sophisticated rifles for the outfit, enabling operatives to intensify efforts in tackling crime and securing forested areas.

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JAMB to release Thursday’s UTME 2026 results today

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has said results of candidates who sat for the first day of the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination will be released before midnight on Friday.

The board disclosed this in a statement signed by its Public Communication Adviser, Fabian Benjamin, on Friday.

According to the statement, candidates who participated in the examination on Thursday, April 16, would be able to access their results once processing is completed later in the day.

“This is to inform all candidates who sat for the 2026 UTME on Thursday, 16th April 2026, that their results will be released today before midnight,” the statement read.

JAMB added that an official announcement would be made and published on its platform as soon as the results are available.

The 2026 UTME commenced nationwide on Thursday, with over 2.2 million candidates expected to sit for the examination across accredited Computer-Based Test centres from April 16 to April 22.

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The examination, one of the largest coordinated assessments in the country, is conducted in multiple sessions daily to ease congestion and enhance verification processes across centres nationwide.

Candidates have been advised to monitor the board’s official communication channels for updates on the release of their results.

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