Court grants ex-minister Uche Nnaji permission to travel abroad for treatment
The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology Uche Nnaji permission to travel abroad for medical treatment.
During a court session on Monday, Nnaji’s attorney, Aji Kamale, filed a motion requesting the release of Nnaji’s international passport. The trial judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, approved the request and ordered the passport’s release. She scheduled the continuation of the trial for October 26.
Nnaji is facing a six-count charge related to alleged certificate forgery, false information, and corruption, brought against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on July 13. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The charges, filed under case number FHC/ABJ/CR/391/2026, allege that between August 2023 and October 2025, Nnaji received N29.58 million in salaries and allowances into his Fidelity Bank account while serving as minister, funds the ICPC claims he should have known were obtained through unlawful means, including fraud and corruption. This alleged offense is said to violate Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which is punishable under Section 18(3) of the same act.
Furthermore, the ICPC alleges that Nnaji abused his ministerial position to gain corrupt advantages, in violation of Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. The commission also claims Nnaji submitted a false National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate during his appointment process, contravening Section 17(1)(c) of the same act.
In addition, the ICPC asserts that Nnaji presented a fraudulent Microbiology/Biochemistry degree certificate claiming to be from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, which also violates the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act.
Other charges against him involve the alleged forgery of both the NYSC certificate, numbered A231309, and the degree certificate. The prosecution asserts that he knowingly used these forged documents in his ministerial appointment, which could breach Sections 363 and 364 of the Penal Code.
