The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has berated the Presidency, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigerian Senate over their gross dereliction of duty in the appointment and confirmation of Mr. Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji, the now-resigned Minister of Science and Technology, who forged his Bachelor’s degree and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificates, an incident that has once again exposed deep-rooted lapses in Nigeria’s governance and vetting processes.
In a statement signed by its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, HEDA condemned what it described as a shameful institutional failure that allowed a minister with forged credentials to pass through multiple levels of scrutiny from the DSS security vetting to the Senate confirmation and eventual presidential appointment despite credible warnings and petitions raised by the anti-corruption group.
“It is disheartening that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and the DSS all ignored clear red flags and public outcry over Mr. Nnaji’s forged Bachelor’s degree and NYSC certificate. This incident not only erodes public trust in government institutions but also reinforces the perception that corruption and impunity remain the operating principles within Nigeria’s political leadership,” Suraju said.
HEDA recalled that in June 2024, it had earlier petitioned President Tinubu and the Senate, calling for an immediate investigation into the allegations of forgery against Mr. Nnaji and for his suspension pending the outcome. However, rather than act decisively, the Presidency maintained silence while the Senate ignored the petition and failed to act on it despite mounting evidence, a move HEDA described as “a betrayal of public trust.”
The civil society group further indicted the Department of State Services (DSS) for failing to carry out a proper verification or suppress overwhelming evidence during its security screening, alleging that such dereliction enabled several unqualified individuals with questionable records to attain high public offices.
“This is not the first time the DSS has cleared ministerial nominees with forged or questionable credentials. From the cases of Kemi Adeosun to Stella Oduah, and now Geoffrey Nnaji, the pattern of negligence has become too consistent to ignore. The agency has turned what should be a rigorous national security process into a mere formality or extortion opportunity, and Nigerians deserve answers.” Suraju added.
While acknowledging Mr. Nnaji’s resignation as a necessary but belated action, HEDA insisted that accountability must go beyond resignation, calling for his immediate prosecution and the sanctioning of all officials involved in clearing and appointing him.
“Resignation does not erase the crime of forgery. The law must take its course, and those who enabled this fraud within the Presidency, DSS, and the Senate must also be held accountable,” Suraju maintained.
The group urged President Tinubu to demonstrate true commitment to integrity in governance by directing the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the forgery case, as well as the institutional lapses that made it possible, to serve as a deterrent to future misconduct.
“Until those in authority begin to take responsibility for their failures, Nigeria will continue to recycle corruption under different faces,” Suraju warned. “HEDA will continue to stand as a moral compass for accountability and will not relent in demanding that those entrusted with power act with integrity and transparency,” he added.
The Nigerian media is commended for its tenacity in the face of harassment, intimidation, and persecution in unraveling corruption, abuse of office, and holding public officers accountable to their oath of office.
