President Tinubu’s Former Minister Arrested at Airport, Fresh Details Emerge

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  • A former minister under Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu was arrested at an airport in Abuja, according to reports on July 1, 2026
  • The arrest of the ex-minister was reported by Legit.ng, with details of the circumstances surrounding the detention emerging
  • News of the former minister's detention has drawn significant attention on social media, given his ties to the sitting leader of Nigeria

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Former Nigerian Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, was reportedly arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, after arriving on a chartered flight from Enugu.

A former minister under Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, Uche Nnaji, is reportedly arrested at the Abuja Airport on July 1, 2026. Image credit: Legit.ng
Source: UGC

According to a report by Legit.ng on July 1, 2026, Nnaji was set to be transferred into the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for questioning.

Why the ICPC has been pursuing Nnaji

The former minister has been under scrutiny since he stepped down from President Tinubu's cabinet in 2025 amid accusations that he had falsified his academic credentials.

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Media investigations uncovered that Nnaji allegedly forged both his university certificates and his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) documentation during the 2023 ministerial screening process.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja granted the ICPC an order to arrest Nnaji as far back as June 2025, after the commission told the court that he had repeatedly failed to honour multiple invitations for investigative activities.

The court further authorised the commission to declare him wanted through national newspapers, social media platforms, and other media outlets.

Nnaji's resignation and the certificate scandal

Nnaji formally tendered his resignation to President Tinubu by means of a letter, a move that came in the wake of mounting pressure over the certificate controversy.

Two separate media investigations, by that point, had already uncovered evidence pointing to the alleged falsification of his NYSC and university records.

At the time of filing this report, the ICPC had yet to release an official statement confirming the arrest, and neither Nnaji nor anyone representing him had publicly responded to the allegations.

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Popular actor arrested over alleged coup plot

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that a Nigerian actor was arrested alongside several military officers over an alleged plot to overthrow President Tinubu.

Stanley Amandi, a famous Nollywood actor and movie director, was arrested in September 2025 over claims that he was attempting to stage a coup.

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Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.

Source: YEN.com.gh