BREAKING: ICPC arrests ex-Minister Uche Nnaji over alleged certificate forgery scandal

The immediate past Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has been arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, over allegations of certificate forgery.

According to authoritative airport sources, Nnaji was arrested on Wednesday while preparing to board a chartered flight to Abuja.

The sources disclosed that the former minister would be handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for interrogation.

The ICPC has been investigating Nnaji since he resigned from office last year following allegations that he forged his academic certificates.

In June, a Federal High Court in Abuja granted the commission permission to arrest the former minister as part of its investigation into the alleged forgery.

The court also authorised the ICPC to declare him wanted through newspapers, social media platforms and other media channels.

According to the anti-graft agency, the application became necessary after Nnaji repeatedly failed to honour invitations extended to him for questioning over the allegations.

The investigation followed a report published in October last year alleging that Nnaji submitted forged University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) degree and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificates during his ministerial screening in 2023.

The report further alleged that the documents were submitted to President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian Senate, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Department of State Services as part of the ministerial appointment process.

The former minister later admitted that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, did not issue him a degree certificate.

Before his arrest, Nnaji had dismissed reports of the court order against him, describing them as a media trial.

However, on June 18, he filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, challenging the Federal High Court’s order authorising his arrest.

His arrest comes while that appeal remains pending before the appellate court.