By Peter Effiom
Uche Nnaji, a former Nigerian minister of innovation, science, and technology, was detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) agents on suspicion of forging a certificate.
On Wednesday morning, he was taken into custody while on a chartered flight from Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
He was brought into custody by the DSS following an official request by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
He has been turned over to the ICPC for questioning and more research. Since the former minister resigned from office in 2025 after it was discovered that he had falsified his academic credentials, the ICPC has been pursuing him.
After his credentials were exposed, he controversially resigned from his ministerial position. His National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) bachelor’s degrees are allegedly forged. The Nigerian Senate and the Presidency received the falsified credentials for their ministerial review and approval.
The NYSC has no documentation of his involvement, but the UNN confirmed he dropped out and never graduated. Nnaji subsequently acknowledged that the certificate was never given to him by UNN.
A Federal High Court in Abuja issued an arrest warrant after Nnaji continuously rejected successive ICPC invitations for inquiry into the certificate fabrication case. The court also granted the ICPC authority to declare him wanted through national newspapers and social media platforms. Nnaji earlier rejected the validity of a court order against him, calling the inquiry a “media trial.” Then, on June 18, he filed an appeal against the arrest order, which remains pending at the Court of Appeal.
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