ICPC Witness: NYSC, UNN Disowned Ex-Minister Nnaji’s Certificates

An investigator with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Yakubu Ibrahim, has advised a Federal High Court in Abuja that each the University of Nigeria (UNN) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) disowned the certificates offered by former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, throughout his 2023 ministerial screening.

Testifying as the primary prosecution witness within the six-count trial in opposition to Nnaji, Ibrahim mentioned the ICPC acquired petitions alleging certificates forgery and launched an investigation.

He defined that the fee wrote to UNN to confirm the Bachelor of Science diploma in Microbiology/Biochemistry allegedly submitted by Nnaji, however the college confirmed it had not issued such a certificates.

Similarly, the NYSC disowned a discharge certificates dated May 15, 1986, stating it was by no means issued to the previous minister. Ibrahim added that UNN offered the defendant’s tutorial information, together with a discover of withdrawal over poor grades.

The witness advised the court docket that investigators invited Nnaji for questioning however later needed to contain the EFCC to safe his arrest after he failed to reply.

He confirmed that Nnaji made statements on July 1 and a couple of, although he didn’t touch upon the allegations.During cross-examination, defence counsel Wole Olanipekun (SAN) challenged the investigation, noting that Ibrahim didn’t personally go to UNN or set up the place the alleged forgery happened.

Ibrahim admitted he relied on correspondence with the college’s Registrar and confirmed seeing a withdrawal discover dated November 7, 1984.

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/389/2026, continues earlier than Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who adjourned additional listening to till November 3.Nnaji, who resigned as minister following the scandal, didn’t embody the disputed diploma certificates in his Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) filings forward of the 2027 elections, the place he’s contesting because the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Enugu State.

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