Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the release of the international passport of former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, to enable him to travel abroad for medical treatment.
The order followed a motion filed by his counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ogwu Onoja, seeking the release of the travel document.
At Monday’s proceedings, the motion was moved before the court, after which Justice Abdulmalik, in a brief ruling, ordered the release of Nnaji’s passport and adjourned the case to October 26 for continuation of trial.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had on July 13 arraigned the former minister on a six-count charge bordering on alleged certificate forgery, giving false information and corruption.
Nnaji pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
According to the charge sheet, the ICPC alleged that between August 2023 and October 2025, while serving as minister, Nnaji received ₦29,578,466.67 in salary and allowances through a bank account. The commission described the funds as “proceeds of unlawful acts,” allegedly contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In the second count, the anti-graft agency accused Nnaji of using his office to confer a corrupt advantage on himself by receiving the same amount as salary and allowances, allegedly contrary to the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
The remaining four counts relate to allegations of certificate forgery and the making and use of false documents.
The ICPC specifically alleged that Nnaji knowingly presented a forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate, numbered A231309, to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation during the documentation process for his appointment as a minister.
The commission further alleged that he submitted a purported University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) degree certificate in Microbiology/Biochemistry, bearing Certificate No. 004501, despite allegedly knowing that it was false.
The prosecution also accused Nnaji of making and using both the NYSC certificate and the UNN degree certificate as genuine, despite allegedly knowing that they were forged, contrary to Sections 363 and 364 of the Penal Code.
Following the reading of the charges and Nnaji’s plea, his counsel, Chief Ogwu Onoja (SAN), informed the court that he had filed a bail application on behalf of his client.
Counsel for the ICPC, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, told the court that the prosecution was ready to proceed with the trial and had three witnesses lined up to testify.
He, however, did not oppose the bail application, leaving the matter to the discretion of the court.
In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik admitted Nnaji to bail in the sum of ₦20 million, with one surety in the same amount.
The judge directed that the surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 15 and must have maintained a fixed place of residence for at least four years.
The court also ordered the surety to provide evidence of employment, including a letter of appointment and salary slips for the preceding three months.
It further directed that the appropriate government authority be notified to verify the surety’s employment status.
Justice Abdulmalik also ordered Nnaji to deposit his international passport and any other travel documents in his possession with the court.
The latest ruling permits the release of the passport to facilitate his proposed medical trip abroad, while the criminal proceedings against him remain ongoing.
