A former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, ignored multiple invitations extended to him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for ongoing investigations into his certificate forgery scandal, PREMIUM TIMES reports.
The ICPC has been investigating Mr Nnaji’s forgery scandal.
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The ICPC’s investigation followed a painstaking two-year investigation published by PREMIUM TIMES in October last year, which revealed that the then-minister forged his UNN degree and NYSC certificates, which he submitted to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian Senate during his ministerial confirmation in 2023.
On 9 June, PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported that the ICPC had launched a manhunt for Mr Nnaji after the former minister failed to honour invitations extended to him by the anti-graft agency regarding his forgery scandal.
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This newspaper also exclusively reported in mid-June that a federal high court in Abuja ordered the ICPC to arrest Mr Nnaji for investigation into his certificate forgery scandal following his repeated failures to honour the agency’s invitation.
Documentary evidence surface after denials
Even before PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported that the federal court ordered his arrest, Mr Nnaji, popularly known as Nwakaibeya, had claimed that the ICPC was never looking for him and falsely accused the Enugu State Government of sponsoring “the lies” against him.
“I have never seen a government in my life that everything is based on lies like the present government in Enugu State,” he began.
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“They are either saying Nwakaibie has a certificate problem or they say the ICPC (has launched a manhunt for me.) Is it not me here? Where is the ICPC?” the former minister said, suggesting that his reported manhunt by the ICPC was false.
He spoke with reporters in early June at Akanu-Ibiam International Airport Emene in Enugu.
Arise News TV, a Lagos State-based television station, also aired a news broadcast in which the former minister made the claims.
But documents and reliable information obtained by PREMIUM TIMES showed that contrary to his claims, Mr Nnaji rebuffed ICPC invitations and failed to show up for scheduled interview sessions regarding his forgery scandal.
This newspaper, for instance, exclusively obtained a copy of an invitation letter extended to Mr Nnaji by the ICPC.
The letter was dated 15 May and signed by the Head of Chairman’s Special Task Force of the ICPC, Usman Ahmed.
It was addressed to Mr Nnaji and titled, “Investigation Activities/Notice of Invitation.”
The ICPC, in the letter, told the former minister that the agency was investigating an alleged violation of the provisions of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission Act 2000 in which his name “featured prominently.”
“Pursuant to the provisions of Sections 28 of the aforementioned Act, you are requested to report for an interview with the undersigned through the Team Leader with phone number 08063642*** at the Commission’s Headquarters, Abuja on 20th May, 2026 by 10 a.m.,” the letter read in part.
PREMIUM TIMES also sighted a communication which showed that the anti-graft agency forwarded the invitation letter to Mr Nnaji via at least two of his WhatsApp numbers and email address.
The invitation letter was forwarded to Mr Nnaji’s known WhatsApp numbers on 16 May which he received, while the same letter was sent to his email address the following day.
The ICPC sent him a reminder via a text message on 19 May ahead of the scheduled interview the following day.
The commission explained to the former minister in the communications that they forwarded the letters to his WhatsApp numbers, email and a reminder via a text message because his address was unknown and he did not respond to phone calls regarding the invitation.
“This became necessary, and as the only available means of inviting you at the moment because we are unable to get your current home address and have no office address to send the invitation following your resignation as a minister,” the ICPC told Mr Nnaji in a communication sighted by PREMIUM TIMES.
“Treat it as very important, please. This message can serve as an additional invitation, please.”
But he failed to honour the scheduled interview on 20 May.
The ICPC then rescheduled the interview for 3 June and communicated to Mr Nnaji, urging him to honour the commission’s invitation in the interest of fair hearing.
“The invitation date has been rescheduled to Wednesday, 3rd June 2026 by 10 a.m. You are advised to honour this invitation in the interest of justice and fair hearing,” the commission told the former minister in the communication.
But the former minister also failed to show up on the rescheduled date.
Insiders told PREMIUM TIMES that the ICPC, displeased by Mr Nnaji’s repeated failures to honour their invitations, then approached the Federal High Court in Abuja which ordered the arrest of the former minister for investigation.
Background
PREMIUM TIMES began investigating Mr Nnaji’s academic records in October 2023.
The then-minister had submitted a degree and NYSC certificates to President Tinubu and the Nigerian Senate during his ministerial confirmation in 2023.
He claimed he obtained a degree certificate from UNN, where he purportedly graduated in 1985.
Apparently disturbed that he was under scrutiny, Mr Nnaji filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja to block both UNN and its vice-chancellor, Simon Ortuanya, a professor, from releasing his academic records.
Apart from the UNN and its vice-chancellor, the minister of education, the National Universities Commission, the university’s registrar, its former Acting Vice-Chancellor, Oguejiofo Ujam, a professor, and the Senate of the university were listed as defendants in the suit.
However, the politician, through his legal team, recently applied for an out-of-court settlement.
Before the then-minister could obtain an injunction from the court, Mr Ortuanya had responded to PREMIUM TIMES’ Freedom of Information (FOI) letter, confirming that Mr Nnaji had forged his UNN degree certificate.
The UNN registrar would shortly thereafter corroborate Mr Ortuanya’s position, indicating that although Mr Nnaji was admitted to the university in 1981, he neither graduated nor was issued any certificate.
NYSC authorities, in response to a separate FOI letter from PREMIUM TIMES, had disowned the discharge certificate in possession of the then-minister.
READ ALSO: EXCLUSIVE: Court orders ex-Minister Uche Nnajis arrest for certificate forgery
Mr Nnaji resigned from his position as minister three days after this newspaper published the investigation exposing how he forged his degree and NYSC certificates.
Many Nigerians had called for Mr Nnaji’s prosecution, maintaining that his resignation was inadequate in light of his violations of various Nigerian laws, including the Criminal Code Act.
Earlier this year, a legal practitioner, Liborous Oshoma, criticised the Nigerian government for failing to prosecute Mr Nnaji over the certificate forgery scandal, maintaining that people like the former minister “should be prosecuted and banned from holding public office to serve as a deterrent to others.”
Meanwhile, in March, this newspaper also exclusively reported that an investigative panel set up by Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, found that Mr Nnaji indeed forged his degree and NYSC certificates.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the former minister “quietly” moved to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the ruling All Progressives Congress, under which he unsuccessfully contested the 2023 governorship election in Enugu State.
In late May, Mr Nnaji emerged as the governorship candidate of the Nyesom Wike-backed PDP faction ahead of the 2027 general election.
Within the same period, this newspaper exclusively reported that Mr Nnaji was desperate to become governor in order to, among other reasons, enjoy immunity from prosecution if he wins the governorship poll.
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