Minister Nnaji Admits Forging Degree, NYSC Certificates as Federal High Court Hears Suit Today
The Federal High Court Abuja will today continue hearing on the certificate forgery suit filed by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr. Geoffery Uchechukwu Nnaji against the management of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Minster of Education.
In the suit filed before Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja, the minister is seeking, through a motion ex parte, an order granting him leave to issue prerogative writs prohibiting UNN and its officials from “tampering with” or continuing to “tamper with” his academic records. In essence, Mr. Nnaji is seeking to stop the management of UNN from disclosing or releasing his academic records to third parties.
Earlier, the court
The suit is a last resort of Mr. Nnaji to stop Nigeria’s leading online newspaper, Premium Times from going ahead with its investigation into the minister’s academic claims.
Premium Times, however, in an investigation has already uncovered the dishonesty of the Science, Technology and Innovation minister after the newspaper discovered that the minister in 2023 when he was screened and subsequently appointed minister presented forged degree and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Nnaji Admits Forging Certificates
Despite his protestations and suit seeking to stop the UNN from making his academic records public, Mr. Nnaji in papers filed in court before Honourable Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court, Abuja admitted that the UNN never issued him any certificate as a graduate of the institution.
Nnaji in the suit states, “That even though I am yet to collect my certificate from the 3rd Defendant (UNN), due largely to the non-cooperative attitude of the 3rd–5th Defendants (UNN, its Vice-Chancellor, and Registrar), the 3rd Defendant issued a letter dated 21st December 2023 to People’s Gazette (attention: Samuel Ogundipe) which stated amongst other things as follows:
‘This is to confirm that Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, with registration number 1981/30725, was admitted in 1981 to study Microbiology/Biochemistry at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Mr. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji graduated from the University of Nigeria in July 1985 with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology/Biochemistry, Second Class (Hons.) Lower Division.’”
Admitting that he was never issued a certificate by UNN is an expression admission that he forged both the degree and NYSC certificates that he presented to the National Assembly and intelligence agencies that “vetted” him before he was confirmed a minister.
Corroborating the minister’s admission of forgery, the management of UNN in in two letters signed by the Registrar of the university, Ms. Celine Nnebedum and the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Simon Ortuanya and addressed to the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) and Managing Editor of Premium Times respectively stated that the records of the university show that Mr. Nnaji never graduated from the university.
More details to follow…
