Nnaji has been under investigation by the anti-corruption agency since he left office last year after allegations emerged that he forged his academic credentials.
By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – The immediate past Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, was arrested on Wednesday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, shortly after arriving from Enugu aboard a chartered flight.
Authoritative airport sources confirmed the arrest, disclosing that the former minister would be handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for interrogation over allegations of certificate forgery.
Nnaji has been under investigation by the anti-corruption agency since he left office last year after allegations emerged that he forged his academic credentials.
The arrest comes weeks after a Federal High Court in Abuja, in mid-June, ordered the ICPC to arrest the former minister as part of its investigation into the alleged forgery.
The court also granted the commission permission to declare him wanted through national newspapers, social media platforms and other media channels.
In its ex parte application, the ICPC told the court that Nnaji repeatedly failed to honour several invitations issued to him for questioning over the allegations.
According to the commission, the investigation centres on claims that Nnaji forged his degree certificate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), as well as his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate.
The ICPC alleged that the documents were submitted to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian Senate during Nnaji’s ministerial screening and confirmation process in 2023, presented to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Senate as part of the appointment process.
The case took a new turn after the former minister reportedly admitted that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, did not issue him the degree certificate in question following a probe triggeres by a Premium Times investigation.
On June 18, Nnaji filed an appeal at the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, seeking to overturn the Federal High Court’s order authorising his arrest. Wednesday’s arrest, however, signals the continuation of the ICPC’s investigation pending the determination of the appeal.