Corruption Scandal Rocks Politics: Ex-Minister Uche Nnaji Arraigned for Forgery, Laundering

Former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, arrived at the Federal High Court in Abuja on a Monday for his arraignment on six charges filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). Appearing before Judge Joyce Abdulmalik, Mr. Nnaji pleaded not guilty to all counts, which include certificate forgery, abuse of office, and money laundering. Dressed in a white outfit and a red cap, he acknowledged supporters and other attendees upon entering the courtroom.

The six charges detail significant allegations against the former minister. The first two counts accuse Mr. Nnaji of misappropriating public funds, specifically receiving N29.58 million through his Fidelity Bank account as salary and allowances during his tenure, which the ICPC alleges he knew to be proceeds of corruption and fraud, contravening the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. He is also charged with using his ministerial office to confer corrupt advantage upon himself, violating the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act.

Counts three, four, five, and six focus on certificate forgery. Mr. Nnaji is alleged to have knowingly presented a false National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate, numbered A231309, to the federal government in support of his ministerial appointment, with the intent to mislead. Additionally, he is accused of presenting a purported University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) degree certificate in Microbiology/Biochemistry, numbered 004501, in August 2023, knowing it to be false. The charges further state that he knowingly produced both the purported NYSC certificate around May 1986 and the UNN degree certificate around July 1985, and used them as genuine documents, contrary to provisions of the Penal Code.

Following his plea, the defense counsel, James Onoja (SAN), informed the court of a pending bail application filed on July 9. The prosecution did not oppose the application. In her ruling, Judge Abdulmalik granted Mr. Nnaji bail in the sum of N20 million with one surety. The surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 15, residing at a verifiable address within the court’s jurisdiction, and must provide evidence of salary payment for at least three months, an original letter of appointment, evidence of promotion, and a letter of introduction from their head of department. The surety is also required to execute a bail bond, depose to an affidavit of means, and deposit a recent passport photograph. Mr. Nnaji was ordered to submit his official and personal passports to the court registry, which will verify all submitted documents. The case has been adjourned until September 21 for trial.

The arraignment follows months of extensive investigation by the ICPC into allegations of forged academic credentials and false declarations. The case originated from a petition challenging the authenticity of certificates Mr. Nnaji allegedly submitted during his nomination and screening for a ministerial appointment in 2023. The ICPC had previously obtained a 14-day remand order to detain Nnaji after he repeatedly failed to honor invitations for questioning despite several notices. Mr. Nnaji had also appealed the court order authorizing his arrest. A painstaking PREMIUM TIMES investigation published in October last year (2023) initially exposed Mr. Nnaji’s alleged forgery. Both the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and the National Youth Service Corps have reportedly disowned the certificates in question.

Mr. Nnaji, who is also the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in Enugu State, has consistently denied any wrongdoing, describing elements of the case as politically motivated. He resigned from his ministerial position on October 7, 2025, stating it was a “principled decision to respect the sanctity of due process” amidst ongoing judicial proceedings. His arrest on June 30, 2026, by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, occurred after a Federal High Court order issued on June 11, 2026, due to his alleged failure to honor multiple investigative interviews.