Former Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has been arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu.
According to The PUNCH, Nnaji was apprehended in the early hours of Wednesday while preparing to board a private jet bound for Abuja.
The sources disclosed that the arrest was carried out following a request from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which is investigating the former minister over allegations linked to his tenure in office.
“The DSS acted on the request of the ICPC. He was arrested at the Enugu airport while preparing to board a private jet to Abuja and has since been handed over to the commission,” a security source said.
Another source revealed that the anti-graft agency had previously invited Nnaji for questioning over petitions alleging irregularities in the management of the Ministry of Science and Technology during his time as minister.
“Several invitations were extended to him following petitions concerning the management of the ministry. After he failed to honour those invitations, the ICPC requested the DSS to assist in effecting his arrest,” the source stated.
Following his arrest, Nnaji was reportedly handed over to the ICPC, where further investigations are expected to continue.
Nnaji resigned from his position as Minister of Science and Technology in October last year, a development that attracted widespread public attention at the time.
As of Wednesday afternoon, neither the DSS nor the ICPC had issued an official statement confirming the arrest or providing details of the investigation. The former minister has also not publicly responded to the allegations.
Efforts to obtain comments from the ICPC spokesperson, John Odeh, were unsuccessful, as calls to his phone were not answered at the time this report was filed.
