On the evening of December 10, 2025, a report emerged that the past Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, was kidnapped, which spread panic through political circles.
However, the tension was doused by the ex-minister’s media aide, Fred Chukwuelobe, who confirmed that he was not kidnapped but was taken into custody by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
While the EFCC has remained silent on the arrest, it adds to the growing list of ministers who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari now being investigated by anti-graft agencies.
These investigations, intensified under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stem from allegations ranging from fraud and contract irregularities to the alleged diversion of public funds. Below is a breakdown of five high-profile ex-ministers and the reasons they are under investigation:
1. Hadi Sirika
Former Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika is currently facing multiple investigations over alleged money laundering, contract inflation, abuse of office, and involvement in fraudulent aviation projects.
In May, Sirika, who served between 2015 and 2023, was arraigned alongside his brother, Ahmad, and Enginos Nigeria Ltd, over their alleged roles in a N19.4 billion airport contract scandal. All defendants pleaded not guilty before Justice Suleiman Belgore of the Abuja High Court.
The EFCC alleges that Sirika used his position to improperly benefit his brother’s company. One of the charges reads:
“You, Hadi Sirika… did use your position to confer unfair advantage upon Enginos Nigeria Limited, whose alter ego, Ahmad Sirika, is your biological brother, by influencing the award of a N1.345 billion contract for the Katsina Airport terminal building.”
Sirika, his daughter, and his son-in-law had earlier secured N100 million bail each over another case involving an alleged N2.7 billion Nigerian Air scam.
Meanwhile, despite the controversies, especially surrounding the Nigeria Air project, Sirika insists the process was legitimate.
Speaking in 2025, he dismissed allegations that the project was fraudulent: “It is a lie that I spent N100 billion… The total budget for the national carrier was N5bn, and only N3bn was released. I left over N1bn in the ministry.”
He also maintained that the project followed due process, adding: “It is a public-private partnership regulated by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, which participated actively and issued certificates.”
2. Abubakar Malami
EFCC Detains Former AGF Malami Over Breach Of Bail Conditions Amid Multi-Count Financial Investigation – TheNigeriaLawyer
The former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, is currently being detained by the EFCC.
The EFCC had invited Malami last week over transactions linked to the recovery of part of the Abacha loot, but released him after several hours.
Malami had insisted he knew nothing about the matter and maintained his innocence.
According to him, the EFCC invited him over the $346.2 million that Switzerland returned to Nigeria from the Abacha loot.
Malami explained that investigators are questioning why he allegedly was involved and paid certain law firms “large sums” for legal work even though, according to him, the previous administration had “almost completed” the repatriation process before he took office.
He said the EFCC is accusing him of abuse of office and money laundering, but insisted he did nothing wrong.
According to Malami: “My hands are clean.”
In another statement, he also rejected rumours suggesting he was linked to terrorism financing, calling them false and malicious.
He said that as an officer responsible for upholding the law, he could not have acted as a lawbreaker.
He noted that his years as Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation were spent strengthening the fight against terrorism financing.
In his words: “I state clearly and unequivocally that I have never been accused, invited, interrogated, investigated or charged… in respect of terrorism financing or any related offence.”
3. Timpreye Sylva
In November 2025, the EFCC declared former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva wanted over an alleged “conspiracy and dishonest conversion” of $14.8 million linked to a refinery project that never took off.
According to EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, the money was released by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) for Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical, company lawmakers say does not even exist.
The House of Representatives later opened a probe into the $35 million federal investment in the failed modular refinery, with Rep. Billy Osawaru warning that despite multiple petitions: “The refinery has remained non-existent five years after the investment.”
Days before the controversy, rumours surfaced accusing Sylva of funding a foiled plot to overthrow President Tinubu — allegations he has not publicly addressed.
He wrote to the EFCC saying he would honour their invitation after returning from a medical trip.
On December 8, his aide Julius Boroku accused the EFCC of storming Sylva’s Abuja home and marking it with “EFCC — KEEP OFF”, calling the action “an affront to decency… carried out without a warrant or any lawful authorisation.”
He said the property houses Sylva’s children and relatives, who had been left in “mounting fear.”
The EFCC denied conducting a raid. Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES, Oyewale insisted: “As a matter of operational principle, EFCC does not conduct raids.”
He said operatives merely marked the property for investigation and “didn’t eject or molest anybody… We did our marking and left.”
He added that Sylva was already aware of the case, noting: “We’re not operating outside the law.”
4. Chris Ngige.
His Excellency, Senator (Dr.) Chris Nwabueze Ngige | 5th Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour
On December 10, former Anambra State governor and immediate past Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, was taken into the EFCC custody.
He was whisked away from his residence in Abuja by about 20 EFCC officers from its Zonal office, Wuse II, Abuja, in what a family member described as “commando style raid”.
Although it was earlier claimed that he was kidnapped, his media aide, Fred Chukwuelobe, stepped in swiftly to douse the rumour.
He wrote, “I have been receiving calls in the past hour from friends and journalists seeking the veracity of the news making the rounds that His Excellency, Dr. Chris Ngige, former Governor of Anambra State and immediate past Minister of Labour and Employment, ‘has been kidnapped.’”
Chukwulobe stressed that there was no abduction and confirmed that the former minister is with anti-graft operatives.
“Ngige is with the EFCC. He was not ‘abducted’ or ‘kidnapped’,” he insisted.
The arrest comes amid long-standing corruption allegations tied to Ngige’s political career.
The EFCC once produced a report accusing him of diverting or laundering more than N46 billion earmarked for Anambra’s local governments during his time as governor.
In his later role overseeing the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) as labour minister, he was questioned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), with EFCC support, over alleged contract irregularities and claims of ‘job-racketeering.’
The EFCC is yet to issue a statement concerning his arrest.
5. Saleh Mamman
Another member of Buhari’s cabinet under investigation by the EFCC is Saleh Mamman, who served as Minister of Power.
In July 2024, the EFCC arraigned Mamman on 12 counts of money laundering and conspiracy with officials at the ministry and some private companies to “indirectly convert” N33.8 billion meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects.
The former minister, who was appointed minister by the then-President Muhammadu Buhari in August 2019 and was sacked in September 2021, pleaded not guilty to the charges, prompting a full-blown trial.
Following his not-guilty plea, the EFCC went on to present 17 prosecution witnesses and tendered 43 exhibits against the defendant before closing its case.
Mamma then filed a no-case submission on 19 November, instead of opening his defence, arguing that the evidence led by the prosecution failed to link him to any of the alleged offences. He urged the court to throw out the charges.
However, the EFCC filed a written address dated 25 November to oppose the no-case submission, insisting that by its 17 prosecution witnesses and exhibits tendered, it had made out a prima facie case against the defendant.
On Thursday, December 11, Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court dismissed the no-case submission filed by the ex-minister.
He ordered Mamman to open his defence in line with Section 36 of the Nigerian constitution to give explanations on some of the evidence tendered by the EFCC.
The judge adjourned the matter until 23 February 2026, for defence.
6. Sadiya Umar-Farouq
Former Humanitarian Affairs Minister Sadiya Umar-Farouq was questioned by the EFCC in 2024 over allegations that N37.1 billion in social intervention funds was mismanaged during her time in office.
She initially asked for more time to honour the EFCC’s invitation, citing health reasons, but later showed up at the commission’s headquarters and announced her arrival on X. Umar-Farouq denied any wrongdoing, saying she was proud of her service and ready to defend her actions.
The investigation also involves Halima Shehu, the suspended head of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), who was detained after a raid on the agency’s office. She oversaw major programmes like the Conditional Cash Transfer scheme during the Buhari administration.
However, the EFCC has yet to release its final probe reports on the cases till date.
These investigations involving several former ministers highlight the growing scrutiny of past government officials under the current administration.
While each of the individuals involved has either denied wrongdoing or maintained innocence, the cases remain open, and the outcomes will depend on ongoing legal processes. As the EFCC continues its probes, the public waits to see how these allegations unfold and what they may reveal about accountability in government.
Do you think these investigations will lead to real answers, or are we only seeing the surface? Share your thoughts below in the comment section.
