Former Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has been arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu while preparing to board a chartered flight to Abuja, according to a report by Premium Times.

The newspaper, citing authoritative airport sources, reported that Nnaji was arrested on Wednesday and is expected to be handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for questioning.

The ICPC has been investigating the former minister over allegations that he forged his academic certificates. Nnaji resigned from office last year after the allegations became the subject of an official investigation.

In mid-June, the Federal High Court in Abuja granted the ICPC permission to arrest Nnaji as part of its investigation into the alleged certificate forgery. The court also authorised the commission to declare him wanted through national newspapers, social media platforms and other media channels.

According to the ICPC, the application for the arrest order followed Nnaji's repeated failure to honour invitations for questioning over the allegations.

The investigation stems from a two-year Premium Times report published in October last year, which alleged that Nnaji submitted forged certificates from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) during his appointment as minister in 2023.

The report stated that the documents were submitted to President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian Senate, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the State Security Service as part of the ministerial screening process.

Premium Times also reported that Nnaji later admitted that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka did not issue him a degree certificate, a development the newspaper said supported its investigation.

Before his arrest, Nnaji had dismissed reports of the court order against him, describing the publication as a "media trial." On 18 June, he filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja challenging the Federal High Court's arrest order, according to court documents