Nigerian human‑rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong has called on the police to investigate Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Uche Nnaji over allegations of certificate forgery. Speaking on Channels Television’s “Politics Today,” Effiong highlighted inconsistencies in the minister’s academic records and noted contradictory statements from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Nnaji himself. He expressed surprise that these irregularities were not detected during the minister’s screening process and questioned how the State Security Service could have missed them, describing its silence as “conspiratorial.”
Effiong stressed that the allegations are “grave” and require urgent attention. He urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend Nnaji pending an investigation and recommended that the minister surrender to the police for questioning. According to Effiong, failure to do so could be seen as tolerating a “government of certificate forgers and criminality.”
The accusations have raised concerns about the vetting of government officials in Nigeria, a country already grappling with corruption and fraud. Verifying credentials is essential to maintaining the integrity of public office holders. As the investigation proceeds, the government’s response will determine the implications for Nnaji’s tenure and the broader issue of transparency and accountability in governance. The case underscores the need for rigorous scrutiny of public officials to prevent fraud and preserve public trust, and it is likely to prompt increased scrutiny of how the government handles such allegations.
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