Former Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology Uche Nnaji has pleaded not guilty to allegations of certificate forgery and fraud filed by the Federal Government.
Nnaji was arraigned on Monday before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court in Abuja on a six-count charge brought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The charges include alleged forgery of a degree certificate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate, which he reportedly submitted during his ministerial screening in 2023. He is also accused of obtaining about ₦29.5 million in salaries and allowances under false pretenses, alongside money laundering allegations.
After entering his plea, the prosecution said it was ready to proceed with trial and had three witnesses present in court. However, defence counsel, Ogwu Onoja (SAN), requested more time to prepare and informed the court of a pending bail application filed on July 9. The prosecution did not oppose the request.
Justice Abdulmalik granted Nnaji bail in the sum of ₦20 million with one surety who must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 15 and resident in Abuja. The court also ordered the defendant to deposit both his official and personal passports.
The case follows months of investigation into the authenticity of Nnaji’s credentials, with both UNN and the NYSC reportedly disowning the certificates in question.
Nnaji was arrested on June 30, 2026, by Department of State Services (DSS) operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, upon arrival from Enugu. The arrest followed a Federal High Court order issued on June 11 after he allegedly failed to respond to multiple invitations for questioning.
He resigned from his ministerial position on October 7, 2025, citing respect for due process while maintaining his innocence and describing parts of the case as politically motivated.
Nnaji is also the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State.
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