ICPC Gets Court Order To Detain Tinubu’s Former Minister

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has obtained a court warrant to detain former Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, for an initial 14 days over an alleged certificate forgery scandal.

A source at the commission told Premium Times that the remand warrant would allow the ICPC to hold the former minister for interrogation, with a possible extension if necessary.

Nnaji was arrested on Wednesday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, after arriving from Enugu aboard a chartered flight.

He was subsequently handed over to the ICPC.

The ICPC confirmed the arrest in a statement by its spokesperson, John Odey.

Odey said Nnaji was apprehended with the assistance of operatives of the State Security Service and taken to the ICPC headquarters in Abuja for further investigation.

“He was apprehended with the assistance of the State Security Services and subsequently handed over to the ICPC for further investigation,” the statement read.

“The commission assures the public that the matter will be pursued diligently in accordance with the law.”

According to the ICPC, the arrest followed a Federal High Court order issued after Nnaji allegedly failed to honour multiple invitations from the commission.

The former minister is being investigated over allegations that he forged a University of Nigeria, Nsukka degree certificate and a National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate.

The documents were allegedly submitted to President Bola Tinubu and the Senate during his ministerial screening in 2023.

Nnaji has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

Reports said UNN confirmed that although he was admitted to the university in 1981, he did not graduate and was not issued a certificate.

The NYSC was also said to have disowned the discharge certificate linked to him.

Nnaji resigned as minister shortly after the allegations became public.

The former minister had earlier contested the 2023 Enugu governorship election under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He was later reported to have moved to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and emerged as governorship candidate of a faction of the party ahead of the 2027 election.