At the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu on Wednesday, Department of State Services personnel detained Uche Nnaji, a former Minister of Science and Technology. Nnaji was arrested early on Wednesday while trying to board a private aircraft headed for Abuja, according to security sources.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission, which is looking into the former minister due to certain accusations, reportedly requested that the DSS make the arrest.
According to the sources, Nnaji was turned over to the ICPC for additional investigation after his arrest.
"At the ICPC's request, the DSS took action. He was turned over to the commission after being detained at the Enugu airport while getting ready to board a private aircraft to Abuja, according to one of the sources.
The sources also disclosed that the former minister had been invited multiple times by the anti-graft agency in relation to petitions alleging anomalies in the Ministry of Science and Technology's management during his term.
In response to petitions about the ministry's administration, they had invited him multiple times. Another source revealed that the ICPC asked the DSS for help in making his arrest after he did not accept the invitations.
In October of last year, Nnaji resigned as Minister of Science and Technology due to events that attracted media attention.
The former minister has not yet responded to the accusations, and neither the DSS nor the ICPC has released an official statement regarding the arrest as of the time this article was filed.
As of the time this story was filed, John Odeh, the spokesperson for the ICPC, had not returned calls.