The ICPC is expected to interrogate the former minister over allegations of certificate forgery.
The immediate past Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, was arrested on Wednesday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport after arriving from Enugu on a chartered flight.
Airport sources confirmed that Mr Nnaji was taken into custody and is expected to be handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission for questioning.
The ICPC has been investigating the former minister over allegations that he forged academic certificates. In June, a Federal High Court in Abuja reportedly granted the commission permission to arrest him and declare him wanted after he allegedly failed to honour several invitations for questioning.
The investigation followed reports alleging that Mr Nnaji submitted forged certificates, including a degree certificate purportedly from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and an National Youth Service Corps certificate, during his ministerial screening and confirmation process in 2023.
According to the reports, the documents were also presented to several government institutions involved in the vetting process. The former minister later acknowledged that UNN did not issue him a degree certificate.
Mr Nnaji had previously challenged reports about the court order, describing them as a “media trial,” and subsequently filed an appeal against the arrest order at the Court of Appeal, Abuja.
The ICPC has not yet released an official statement on the arrest.
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