Former Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Nnaji, on Monday arrived at the Federal High Court in Abuja for his arraignment over alleged certificate forgery charges filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission. The court granted N20 million bail to Nnaji after he pleaded not guilty to a six-count certificate forgery charge the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) filed against him.
Nnaji was arrested on July 1, 2026, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The arrest was carried out with the assistance of operatives of the Department of State Services, after which he was handed over to the ICPC for further investigation before the filing of the charges.
The anti-corruption agency alleged that Nnaji, who was a minister in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet from August 16, 2023, to October 6, 2025, before he resigned, forged his academic credentials, especially a degree certificate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
He was further accused of presenting a bogus National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate during his ministerial screening process in 2023. However, the defendant pleaded his innocence to the charge that was read to him before the trial judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
Following an application by the defence team led by Chief James Onoja, SAN, the court admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N20 million with one surety in the like sum.
The court stressed that the surety must be a civil servant resident in Abuja who must not be below grade level 15. Aside from mandating the surety to depose to an affidavit of means, the court ordered the defendant to surrender his international passport and not travel outside the country without permission.
Justice Abdulmalik fixed July 21 for the commencement of the trial.