By Udonu Maxwell Writing from Makurdi, Benue State | 11: 30 PM September 14, 2026
Chuzi Egede Esq., MON, a retired Solicitor-General and former Permanent Secretary of the Benue State Ministry of Justice, has highlighted his contributions to public service and community development as he marks 40 years at the Nigerian Bar.
In a statement reflecting on his legal career and retirement from public service, Chuzi Egede Esq., MON, disclosed that he personally employed or facilitated employment opportunities for people from the Ufia community across nine institutions, including federal government agencies, a state broadcasting organisation, a university and a newspaper.
According to his statement, the reported beneficiaries did not pay money or attend interviews to secure the opportunities he described. The disclosure highlights an aspect of his professional journey that he associates with helping members of his community access employment.
The employment figures were supplied by Chuzi Egede Esq., MON
Chuzi Egede Esq., MON Reports 48 Employment Opportunities Across Nine Institutions
Chuzi Egede Esq., MON, listed nine organisations where he said he facilitated employment directly or assisted people through public officials and institutional leaders.
The reported figures are as follows:
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Radio Benue Corporation: 16 people, through personal and direct employment between 1991 and 1994.
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National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP): 15 people, through personal and direct employment between 2009 and 2011.
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Nigeria Immigration Service: Three people, through Senator Abba Moro during his tenure as Minister of Interior.
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Nigerian Correctional Service: Three people, through Senator Abba Moro during his tenure as Minister of Interior.
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Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC): Four people, through Senator Abba Moro during his tenure as Minister of Interior.
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National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA): Four people, through assistance involving former Minister of Justice M. K. Aondoakaa, SAN, and Hon. Francis Ottah Agbo, a former member of the House of Representatives.
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Public Complaints Commission (PCC): One person, through the then Chief Commissioner, Hon. Justice George Uloko.
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University of Agriculture, Makurdi: One person, through the then Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gyang Gyang.
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The Voice Newspaper: One person, through its then General Manager, Mr. O. Ochapa.
The figures add up to 48 employment opportunities, based on the totals stated in Chuzi Egede Esq., MON’s account.
However, the Radio Benue section contains a discrepancy: it reports 16 beneficiaries but lists only 15 names. This difference requires clarification before the figure can be conclusively confirmed.
The report does not identify the individuals involved, keeping the focus on Chuzi Egede Esq., MON’s career and the institutions mentioned in his statement.
Educational Background and Early Life
Chuzi Egede Esq., MON, was born on 23 June 1963 in Utonkon District, in the Idoma area of present-day Benue State, Nigeria.
He is a member of the Ufia royal family and a son of His Royal Highness Matthew Egede, the paramount ruler of Ufia Kingdom, traditionally known as Olong Nwe Ufia.
He attended John Bosco College, Doma, completing his secondary education in 1980. He subsequently proceeded to the University of Jos, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree, LL.B. (Hons.), in 1985.
His legal education prepared him for a career spanning government administration, civil litigation, legal advisory services, public prosecution and institutional leadership.
Over the years, Chuzi Egede Esq., MON, served in both Benue State and federal institutions, attaining senior positions within Nigeria’s public legal service.
Radio Benue: An Early Chapter in Public Service
One significant early stage of Chuzi Egede Esq., MON’s public service career was his work at Radio Benue Corporation in Makurdi.
According to published biographical accounts, he served as Secretary and Legal Adviser to the broadcasting organisation from October 1991 to July 1996. He also served as Acting General Manager during part of that period.
His responsibilities placed him within a state broadcasting institution tasked with informing and educating the public.
Radio Benue also features prominently in his employment disclosure. Chuzi Egede Esq., MON, reported that he personally employed or facilitated employment for 16 people between 1991 and 1994.
Although the total requires clarification because the statement lists only 15 names, the disclosure identifies Radio Benue as one of the earliest institutions through which he says he supported employment opportunities for members of the Ufia community.
NAPTIP Leadership and National Recognition
A major milestone in Chuzi Egede Esq., MON’s career was his appointment as Executive Secretary of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.
According to an official NAPTIP anniversary publication, he was the agency’s second Executive Secretary, serving from 19 February 2009 to 1 September 2011. His tenure formed part of his wider contribution to Nigeria’s efforts to combat human trafficking.
NAPTIP is responsible for addressing human trafficking and related offences, protecting victims and supporting prevention and enforcement initiatives.
The agency’s published account identifies developments during his tenure, including the establishment of three state zonal commands, the creation of anti-trafficking units within the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Immigration Service, and the development of a National Plan of Action on Trafficking in Persons for 2009–2012.
His service was also associated with national recognition through the honour of Member of the Order of the Niger (MON).
In his employment statement, Chuzi Egede Esq., MON, reported facilitating opportunities for 15 people through NAPTIP between 2009 and 2011.
The period therefore represents both a significant leadership appointment in his professional history and a chapter in his stated efforts to assist members of his community.
Federal Ministry of Justice and Other Legal Appointments
Chuzi Egede Esq., MON’s career extended beyond his leadership of NAPTIP.
Published biographical accounts indicate that he served as Legal Adviser at the Code of Conduct Bureau in Abuja from April 2012 to March 2013.
He subsequently served as Acting Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation at the Federal Ministry of Justice between May and October 2013. Accounts of his career associate his work during this period with legal matters involving inmates who had spent extended periods awaiting trial.
Chuzi Egede Esq., MON, also served as Senior Special Assistant to two Attorneys-General and Ministers of Justice: Chief Mike Kaase Aondaka from 2007 to 2009 and Mohammed Bello Adoke from 2013 to 2015, according to published biographical reports.
These appointments exposed him to different aspects of federal legal administration, including prosecution, policy support and public-sector legal services.
His employment statement also identifies opportunities he says were facilitated through contacts involving the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerian Correctional Service, NSCDC and NDLEA.
Return to Benue State and Appointment as Solicitor-General
Chuzi Egede Esq., MON, spent a substantial part of his career serving the Benue State Government through the Ministry of Justice.
He served as Director of Civil Litigation from January 2005 to June 2020, according to published biographical accounts.
The position involved responsibilities connected with civil litigation and the legal interests of the state.
In June 2020, he was appointed Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Benue State Ministry of Justice. He served in the position until 2023, when he proceeded on compulsory retirement, according to the available career records.
The appointment marked a major milestone in his state public service career, following years of legal and administrative responsibilities at both state and federal levels.
His professional record encompasses broadcasting administration, civil litigation, legal advisory work, public prosecution and leadership of a national anti-trafficking agency.
Employment Support Across Other Sectors
Chuzi Egede Esq., MON’s statement also identifies employment interventions involving institutions outside the principal federal security and justice agencies.
These include the Public Complaints Commission, the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, and The Voice Newspaper.
He reported that one person obtained an opportunity at the Public Complaints Commission through its then Chief Commissioner, Hon. Justice George Uloko.
He also reported facilitating one opportunity at the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, through the then Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gyang Gyang, and another at The Voice Newspaper through its then General Manager, Mr. O. Ochapa.
The institutions listed in the statement cover broadcasting, anti-human-trafficking, immigration, correctional services, civil defence, drug enforcement, public complaints administration, higher education and newspaper publishing.
The range of organisations illustrates the breadth of the employment interventions Chuzi Egede Esq., MON, says he facilitated throughout his career.
However, the precise nature of each appointment and the extent of his involvement would require confirmation through relevant institutional records or independent sources.
A Career Linking Legal Service and Community Development
Chuzi Egede Esq., MON’s professional journey reflects decades of involvement in Nigeria’s legal and public administration systems.
His appointments included Executive Secretary of NAPTIP, Legal Adviser at the Code of Conduct Bureau, Acting Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Director of Civil Litigation in Benue State and Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Benue State Ministry of Justice.
His national honour of MON is another notable feature of his public service record.
His employment disclosure adds a community-focused dimension to that history. By drawing attention to the opportunities he says he facilitated, Chuzi Egede Esq., MON, has emphasised the role experienced professionals and their networks can play in supporting career advancement.
He stated that the beneficiaries did not pay money or attend interviews. This remains his account and does not independently establish whether each recruitment followed the applicable procedures of the respective institution.
The reported figure of 48 opportunities, subject to verification and clarification of the Radio Benue discrepancy, provides a starting point for understanding the scale of the employment assistance he says he offered.
Retirement and Four Decades at the Bar
As Chuzi Egede Esq., MON, reflects on 40 years at the Bar and his retirement from public service, his career offers a record of legal and administrative responsibilities across state and federal institutions.
From his education at the University of Jos to his work at Radio Benue, NAPTIP, the Code of Conduct Bureau, the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Benue State Ministry of Justice, his professional journey has spanned several areas of public administration.
His latest disclosure places employment facilitation among the contributions he wishes to highlight from his years in service.
For the Ufia community and the wider Benue State public, the statement raises broader questions about mentorship, access to employment and the ways professional relationships can create opportunities for younger people.
Sources of the news
1. Primary source: Barrister Simon Chuzi Egede’s statement marking 40 years at the Bar and listing employment opportunities he says he facilitated. The employment totals in this report come from that statement.
2. Official NAPTIP publication: Bios of Awardees, NAPTIP@20, which provides information about Egede’s tenure as Executive Secretary and the agency’s history. Read the NAPTIP publication.
3. Newsbino Media Publishing: Beyond Titles: The Life of Service of Barr. Simon Chuzi Egede (MON), published in August 2026, providing background on his education, Radio Benue service, NAPTIP leadership and legal career. Read the Newsbino biography.
4. MyStory Nigeria: The Story of Barr. Simon Chuzi Egede (MON), published on 22 November 2023, covering his educational background and public service career. Read the biography
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