Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The immediate past Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, has been arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu while preparing to board a chartered flight to Abuja, marking a dramatic escalation in a long-running investigation into allegations that he forged his academic credentials.
Security operatives intercepted the former minister at the airport on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, taking him into custody shortly before his scheduled departure. Authoritative sources confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that Nnaji would be handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for interrogation. The anti-corruption agency had been on the trail of the former minister since his resignation from office in October 2025, following investigations that revealed he forged his academic certificates.
The ICPC investigation centres on allegations that Nnaji submitted forged academic certificates during his ministerial screening and confirmation process in 2023. Reports indicate that the former minister presented a University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) degree certificate and a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate that were later found to be fraudulent. These documents were submitted to President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian Senate, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and other security agencies as part of the official verification procedures. The controversy deepened after Nnaji reportedly admitted that UNN never issued him a degree certificate, a revelation that further strengthened public scrutiny around the case.
In mid-June 2026, a Federal High Court in Abuja granted the ICPC permission to arrest the former minister as part of its ongoing investigation into the alleged certificate forgery. The court also approved an application allowing the commission to declare him wanted through national newspapers, social media platforms, and other media channels if necessary. The ICPC had informed the court that its ex parte application followed Nnaji’s repeated failure to honour invitations extended to him for “investigative activities” relating to the forgery allegations.
Despite the court order, Nnaji had initially denied the existence of the warrant, dismissing reports of the investigation as a “media trial”. In a statement issued through his spokesperson, Robert Ngwu, the former minister maintained that he was not in hiding and had never evaded any law enforcement agency, adding that neither he nor his legal team had received any invitation, summons, or correspondence from the ICPC. However, on June 18, 2026, Nnaji filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, challenging the Federal High Court’s order authorising his arrest. In his appeal, he argued that the lower court “erred in law” by granting the orders without jurisdiction and challenged the use of electronic evidence allegedly presented by the ICPC, insisting that the court failed to comply with Section 84 of the Evidence Act.
Nnaji, who is the acclaimed PDP governorship candidate for Enugu State in the 2027 elections, has been a prominent figure in Enugu politics. His arrest at the airport while attempting to board a chartered flight to Abuja comes just weeks after the court order was issued, and it is expected to have significant implications for his political ambitions. The former minister had previously argued that enforcing the arrest order would keep him “out of circulation” and deny him the opportunity to continue campaign activities ahead of the election.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the ICPC nor representatives of the former minister had issued an official statement confirming the arrest or providing further details on the case. The ICPC is expected to continue its investigation upon taking custody of the former minister, and further developments are anticipated as the case progresses. The arrest marks a significant turning point in the high-profile certificate forgery case, as investigators move to intensify questioning.
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