ICPC nets ex-Minister Uche Nnaji at Abuja Airport over alleged certificate forgery

By Benedicta Aboh

Former Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, was on Wednesday arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, over an ongoing investigation into alleged certificate forgery.

Sources at the airport confirmed that Nnaji was apprehended shortly after arriving from Enugu aboard a chartered flight and is expected to be handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for interrogation.

The arrest follows a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja in mid-June, which granted the ICPC permission to arrest the former minister as part of its probe into allegations that he forged his academic certificates.

The court also authorised the anti-graft agency to declare Nnaji wanted through national newspapers, social media platforms and other media channels after he allegedly failed to honour several invitations for questioning.

According to court documents, the ICPC told the court that repeated efforts to secure the former minister's appearance for investigative purposes were unsuccessful, necessitating an ex parte application seeking judicial approval for his arrest and public declaration as a wanted person.

Airport sources said Nnaji was taken into custody immediately after landing in Abuja and is expected to be transferred to the ICPC headquarters for further investigation.

As of the time of filing this report, the ICPC had not issued an official statement confirming the arrest, while Nnaji and his representatives had yet to respond to the allegations against him.