Former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, on Monday pleaded not guilty to a six-count criminal charge bordering on alleged certificate forgery, obtaining salaries under false pretences and money laundering after being docked before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Nnaji was arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which alleged that he forged a degree certificate purportedly issued by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), as well as a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate allegedly submitted during his ministerial screening in 2023.
The anti-graft agency further accused the former minister of unlawfully receiving about ₦29.5 million in salaries and emoluments under false pretences while serving in public office and included money laundering allegations in the six-count charge.
The former minister, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read before the court.
Following his plea, his counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ogwu Onoja, applied for bail pending trial. Although the prosecution informed the court that it was ready to open its case with three witnesses already lined up to testify, it did not oppose the bail application, leaving the decision to the court.
Justice Abdulmalik subsequently admitted Nnaji to bail in the sum of ₦20 million with one surety in like sum.
The court ruled that the surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 15 who has maintained a fixed residence for at least four years. The surety is also required to provide a letter of appointment, evidence of employment and salary slips covering the last three months, while the relevant government authority must verify the employment before the bail conditions can be perfected.
In addition, the court ordered the former minister to surrender his international passport and every other travel document in his possession pending the conclusion of the trial.
The case was adjourned until September 21, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
The arraignment follows Nnaji’s arrest by the ICPC after the Federal High Court issued a bench warrant authorising his arrest over allegations that he repeatedly ignored invitations for questioning.
According to the Commission, Nnaji was arrested on July 1, 2026, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, with the assistance of the Department of State Services (DSS) and was subsequently taken into custody for further investigation.
The ICPC maintained that despite several invitation letters sent to his Abuja and Enugu addresses as well as his email, the former minister failed to honour the invitations, prompting the Commission to obtain a court order authorising his arrest.
The allegations had earlier forced Nnaji to resign as Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology in October 2025 after controversies over the authenticity of his University of Nigeria, Nsukka degree certificate and NYSC discharge certificate sparked nationwide attention.
Although Nnaji has consistently maintained that he graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1975 and denied any wrongdoing, the criminal trial is expected to determine the authenticity of the documents and his culpability over the allegations of forgery, salary fraud and money laundering.