Ex-Minister Nnaji Arrested for Alleged Certificate Forgery

Former Minister of Science and Technology, Nnaji, was arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on July 1, 2026. His arrest followed a bench warrant issued by the Federal High Court due to his failure to respond to several invitations for an investigation into allegations of certificate forgery.

The ICPC's statement, signed by its head of media and public communication, Okor Odei, indicated that Nnaji had ignored multiple formal invitations sent via various channels, including electronic mail, to appear for an investigative interview. The legal action was initiated after the court granted the ICPC the authority to arrest him to facilitate the investigation.

The allegations specifically concern the forgery of his academic credentials from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate submitted during a ministerial screening process in 2023. Following his arrest, Nnaji was taken into custody at the ICPC headquarters in Abuja for further investigation.