Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), on Wednesday, arrested former Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, as he made to board a private jet to Abuja.
Security sources said Nnaji, who resigned last October under controversial circumstances, was arrested by DSS officers on request by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over allegations of certificate forgery and later handed over to the Anti-Graft Agency.
According to the sources, the ICPC had extended several invitations to the former minister following petitions on how he managed his ministry, and therefore contacted the DSS to assist in arresting him.
Recall that sometimes I’m October 2025, the minister was ordered to resign following allegations of certificate forgery against him.
Nnaji was accused of forging his BSc and National Youth Service Corps certificates.
He claimed to have acquired his degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, in 1985, which the school denied.
Nnaji’s ordeal started when Premium Times published an investigation exposing how he allegedly forged his degree and NYSC certificates, which he submitted to the President and the Nigerian Senate during his ministerial screening in 2023.
The report insisted that Nnaji did not complete his university education.
The medium, in a Freedom of Information request to UNN, asked the university to release Nnaji’s academic records.
In a letter dated October 2, 2025, the university vice-chancellor, Prof Simon Ortuanya, told Premium Times that the university did not issue Nnaji’s certificate, as he did not complete his studies.
The ex-minister then approached the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to stop UNN from releasing his academic records.
Nnaji, through an ex parte motion, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1909/2025, asked the court to restrain the university from releasing or tampering with his academic records.
In court documents filed in the suit, Nnaji admitted that he had yet to collect his degree certificate. This was contrary to his earlier submission of a certificate during his ministerial screening.
Justice Hausa Yilwa, in a ruling delivered on September 22, dismissed Nnaji’s request.
After the publication of his open admission, Nnaji resigned his ministerial appointment, stating that the decision was taken to protect his integrity and prevent distractions to the federal government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to him, his exit followed “an orchestrated sustained campaign of falsehood, politically motivated, and malicious attacks” targeted at his person and office over the past week.
Meanwhile, the ICPC has confirmed that Nnaji is in their custody.
ICPC sources told LEADERSHIP that the former minister was been interrogated and will be arraigned in court soon.
