Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Wednesday arrested former Minister of Science and Technology, Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, over allegations of certificate forgery.
Security sources said Nnaji was apprehended while preparing to board a private jet to Abuja and was subsequently handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for further investigation.
According to the sources, the arrest followed a request by the ICPC, which is investigating petitions alleging certificate forgery and other issues relating to Nnaji’s tenure as minister.
The sources further disclosed that the anti-graft agency had reportedly sent several invitations to the former minister following petitions concerning the management of his ministry, but later sought the assistance of the DSS in effecting his arrest.
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Nnaji resigned from office in October last year under circumstances that attracted public attention.
Before serving as minister, he contested the Enugu State governorship primaries on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Meanwhile, a civil society organisation had previously cautioned the PDP against fielding Nnaji as its governorship candidate, arguing that the allegations against him could become a political liability.
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The group maintained that although the former minister had not been convicted of any offence, the allegations of certificate forgery raised moral concerns, which it said he had yet to publicly address.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the DSS nor the ICPC had issued an official statement on the arrest, while efforts to obtain Nnaji’s reaction were unsuccessful.
