Ex-Minister Uche Nnaji nabbed by ICPC in alleged certificate forgery case

The recently fired Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has been arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on allegations of forging his certificates.

Sources from the airport stated that Nnaji was arrested on Wednesday while waiting to take a flight to Abuja in a private jet.

It was also revealed that the ex-minister will be taken to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for questioning.

ICPC has been on the trail of Nnaji after he resigned from his position last year amid accusations of forgery of his certificates.

As far back as June, a federal high court in Abuja authorized the ICPC to arrest the ex-minister during its investigations into the case of forgery.

The court also allowed the ICPC to make the ex-minister wanted through various media outlets.

According to the anti-graft agency, the request became necessary due to the fact that Nnaji constantly ignored invitations extended to him concerning the case.

The investigation came after a report released in October last year that Nnaji used fake certificates of University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) degree and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in his screening for ministerial appointment in 2023.

According to the report, Nnaji was alleged to have forwarded the certificates to President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian Senate, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Department of State Services.

Nnaji later confessed that he did not get his degree certificate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Before his arrest, Nnaji had denied the report of the court order placed against him, saying that it was nothing but a media trial.

However, Nnaji filed an appeal on June 18 at the Court of Appeal in Abuja concerning the order issued by the Federal High Court for his arrest.

Nnaji was arrested in the midst of the ongoing appeal case at the appellate court.