By Chibuike Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – 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 travel abroad for medical treatment.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik gave the order on Monday after counsel to the former minister, Chief Ogwu Onoja, SAN, moved a motion seeking the release of the travel document.
The judge, in a brief ruling, ordered the release of Nnaji’s passport and adjourned the case until October 26, 2026, for continuation of trial.
The development followed an earlier order directing Nnaji to deposit his international passport and every other travel document in his possession with the court as part of his bail conditions.
Nnaji, 63, was arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on July 13, 2026, on a six-count charge bordering on alleged certificate forgery, false information and corruption.
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
According to the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/391/2026, the ICPC alleged that between August 2023 and October 2025, while serving as minister, Nnaji received N29,578,466.67 in salary and allowances through a bank account.
The commission described the money 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 centre on alleged certificate forgery and the making and use of false documents.
Specifically, the ICPC 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 also alleged that he submitted a purported University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) degree certificate in Microbiology/Biochemistry, bearing Certificate No. 004501, knowing it to be false.
The prosecution further accused the former minister of making and using both the NYSC certificate and the purported UNN degree certificate as genuine despite allegedly knowing that they were forged.
The offences were said to be contrary to Sections 363 and 364 of the Penal Code.
At the earlier proceedings, Nnaji’s counsel, Onoja, had filed a bail application on behalf of his client.
ICPC counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, told the court that the prosecution was ready to commence 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.
Justice Abdulmalik subsequently admitted Nnaji to bail in the sum of N20 million, with one surety in like sum.
The court stipulated 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 surety was also directed to produce evidence of employment, including a letter of appointment and salary slips for the preceding three months.
The court ordered the appropriate government authority to verify the surety’s employment status.
The case has now been adjourned to October 26 for continuation of trial.
