FORMER Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has been arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations that he forged his academic credentials.
The former minister was taken into custody on Wednesday morning while preparing to board a chartered flight to Abuja.
Security operatives intercepted him at the airport, and he is expected to be handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for questioning.
The arrest follows a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja in mid-June, which granted the ICPC permission to detain Mr Nnaji as part of its investigation.
The court also authorised the anti-corruption agency to declare him wanted through national newspapers, social media platforms, and other media channels if necessary.
The ICPC had sought the court order after the former minister repeatedly failed to honour invitations for what the commission described as “investigative activities” relating to the forgery allegations.
The scandal first came to light following a two-year investigation by Premium Times, published in October last year, which revealed that Mr Nnaji had forged his University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) degree certificate and his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.
The forged documents were submitted to President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian Senate, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and security agencies during his ministerial confirmation process in 2023.
The former minister later admitted that UNN never issued him a degree certificate, a concession that validated the investigative findings.
Mr Nnaji resigned from President Tinubu’s cabinet on October 8, 2025, maintaining at the time that his departure was to uphold due process rather than an admission of guilt.
He had previously dismissed reports of the forgery as a “media trial” and denied the existence of the court order against him.
On June 18, he filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja challenging the Federal High Court’s arrest order.
Wednesday’s arrest marks a significant development in the high-profile case, with investigators now expected to intensify their questioning.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the ICPC nor Mr Nnaji’s representatives had issued an official statement regarding the arrest.
