Some human rights activists have urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure that the certificate forgery allegations against the immediate past minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Nnaji, is not swept under the carpet.
Leading the concerned lawyers and human right activists, Mr Liborous Oshoma, made this known at a news conference in Lagos on Sunday.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday detained Mr Nnaji over allegations of certificate forgery and submission of a fake National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate.
Recall that the anti-graft agency said in a statement by its Head of Media and Public Communications, John Odey, that the arrest was carried out pursuant to a bench warrant issued by a Federal High Court.
The anti-graft agency said Mr Nnaji was taken into custody on Wednesday, after he was arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, with the assistance of operatives of the State Security Service.
Mr Oshoma noted that while Nigerians commended efforts of the ICPC so far, they also condemned in its entirety, the undue delays in bringing the former minister to justice.
The lawyer said they had consistently called for prosecution of the minister, as his resignation from office could not and should not atone for the offence of multiple certificate forgery.
He said, “So on Wednesday, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, he was reportedly arrested upon his arrival from Enugu via a chartered flight.
“However, this undue delay once again, brings the speed with which our system brings the poor, average, and unconnected Nigerian to justice to the fore, as against snail speed, silence, and even inaction when it comes to the rich and influential.
“A nation that has different rules for the rich and the poor digs the grave of democracy and rule of law. We, therefore, use this opportunity to urge the President and his government to ensure that this matter is no longer swept under the carpet by powerful individuals in and outside of government.
“We note that beyond the alleged forgeries, Nnaji enjoyed salaries, allowances, and perks of office while he served as minister, an office he obtained as a degree holder from both the University of Nigeria Nsukka, and NYSC discharge certificate. This raises a case which must not be swept under the carpet.”
Mr Oshoma said they demanded a refund of all the salaries and allowances Mr Nnaji drew from the Federal Government from 2023 to October 2025.
He said the restitution was not only just but would serve as deterrent to others, who might want to toe the same line.
Mr Oshoma urged the government to review official actions and decisions taken by Mr Nnaji as minister.
On his part, a lawyer and human right activist, Jiti Ogunye, said even if millions of people were engaged by the forgery allegations, the best thing to do was to use this highly placed individual as an example to serve as deterrent.
Mr Ogunye said the rule of law must be activated in this instance by the state in ensuring that Mr Nnaji was brought to justice.
Also speaking, the General-Secretary, Movement for Nigeria Restructuring (MNR), Fred Nweako, urged the anti-graft agencies to not just prosecute him but if found guilty, to take it to a logical conclusion.
“Under the movement for Nigeria restructuring, we cannot have a country that we will hand over to future generation if we don’t care whether things are done rightly or wrongly.
“A man who is ordinarily supposed to be apologising is even ambitious to become the governor of a state, ” he said.
Also speaking, the Director-General, Centre for Anti-corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, said the reason people committed offences and and got away with it was because those, who are supposed to speak out refused to based on what people would say.
He queried how someone could supervise a ministry that is highly specialised without a first degree.
Mr Adeniran said, “We keep raising the question why Nigeria is low in science and technology development, it is because those who are supervising the agencies do not know what they are supervising.
“If the minister does not have a first degree as alleged, then the people working under him can prepare anything for him and he will just sign it. Nigerians want justice to be done even if heaven falls,” he added.
(NAN
