The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured a court warrant to detain former Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, for an initial 14 days after his arrest on Wednesday in connection with a certificate forgery scandal. An official at the commission informed PREMIUM TIMES that the remand warrant permits the ICPC to hold Mr. Nnaji for interrogation, with the possibility of an extension.
Arrest at Abuja Airport
Mr. Nnaji was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, upon arrival from Enugu aboard a chartered flight. He was subsequently handed over to the ICPC. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported the arrest, citing authoritative sources at the airport. The ICPC later confirmed the arrest in a statement by its spokesperson, John Odey.
According to Mr. Odey, the ICPC, with assistance from operatives of the State Security Service (SSS), apprehended Mr. Nnaji at the airport. “He was apprehended with the assistance of the State Security Services (SSS) and subsequently handed over to the ICPC for further investigation,” he said. “Following the arrest, Mr. Nnaji has been taken into custody at the ICPC headquarters in Abuja, where investigations are expected to continue. The commission assures the public that the matter will be pursued diligently in accordance with the law.”
Background of the Scandal
In October 2023, PREMIUM TIMES launched an investigation into Mr. Nnaji’s academic records after he submitted a degree certificate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and an NYSC discharge certificate to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian Senate during his ministerial confirmation in 2023. He claimed to have graduated from UNN in 1985.
Disturbed by the scrutiny, Mr. Nnaji filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja to block UNN and its vice-chancellor, Professor Simon Ortuanya, from releasing his academic records. However, before he could obtain an injunction, Professor Ortuanya responded to a Freedom of Information (FOI) letter from PREMIUM TIMES, confirming that Mr. Nnaji had forged his UNN degree certificate. The UNN registrar later corroborated this, stating that although Mr. Nnaji was admitted in 1981, he neither graduated nor was issued a certificate. Similarly, NYSC authorities disowned the discharge certificate in his possession.
Resignation and Prosecution Calls
Mr. Nnaji resigned as minister three days after the investigation was published. Many Nigerians called for his prosecution, arguing that resignation was insufficient given his violations of the Criminal Code Act. In March, an investigative panel set up by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, found that Mr. Nnaji had indeed forged his degree and NYSC certificates.
Earlier this year, legal practitioner Liborous Oshoma criticized the government for failing to prosecute Mr. Nnaji, stating that people like him “should be prosecuted and banned from holding public office to serve as a deterrent to others.”
Political Maneuvering
In late May, Mr. Nnaji emerged as the governorship candidate of the Nyesom Wike-backed PDP faction ahead of the 2027 general election in Enugu State. PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr. Nnaji sought to become governor partly to enjoy immunity from prosecution if elected.
The ICPC spokesperson noted that the arrest followed a Federal High Court ruling ordering his arrest after he repeatedly ignored multiple invitations from the commission. Mr. Odey said the former minister was invited to answer questions about the alleged forgery of his UNN degree and NYSC discharge certificates.
