The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on Tuesday distanced itself from the discharge certificate it purportedly issued to a former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Nnaji.
The corps declared its stance on the doc at Federal High Court in Abuja, the place Mr Nnaji is dealing with prosecution for allegedly forging his NYSC discharge certificat and a University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) certificate, each of which he introduced to be appointed minister in 2023. The prices in opposition to the previous minister additionally embody cash laundering allegations.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) launched an investigation into Mr Nnaji and subsequently charged him following PREMIUM TIMES report exposing the certificate forgery scandal resulting in Mr Nnaji’s ouster from office final yr.
The former minister is the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate for the upcoming 2027 governorship candidate in Enugu State.
NYSC’s Assistant Director within the Department of Certification, Yusuf Jumare, appeared within the case on Tuesday because the second prosecution witness, The Guardian reported.
Testifying earlier than trial choose Joyce Abdulmalik, the witness mentioned an investigation by his division established that the NYSC certificate tendered by Mr Nnaji was faux.
Led in proof by prosecution lawyer Jimoh Abdulmumuni, a SAN, Mr Jumare recognized 4 options gave the doc away as cast, corroborating PREMIUM TIMES’ earlier investigative findings printed in October 2025.
Firstly, Mr Jumare mentioned, the certificate quantity, purportedly issued in 1985, carried the prefix “A”, which the NYSC didn’t start utilizing till 1990.
He added that whereas the call-up quantity on the certificate had 4 digits (0137), the NYSC was utilizing five-digit call-up quantity as of 1985.
He additionally mentioned the certificate indicated that the service yr lasted service yr lasted 13 months as a substitute of 12 months.
The witness additionally mentioned the copy introduced by Mr Nnaji was not signed by the Director-General of the NYSC at the moment.
The prosecution tendered copies of correspondences between the ICPC and the NYSC on the alleged faux certificate. They had been admitted in proof and marked as reveals.
The defence mentioned it was was not served with the paperwork and reserved its objection to the paperwork until the ultimate deal with stage.
The prosecution lawyer, Mr Abdulmumuni, who mentioned his workforce simply took over the matter, promised to make copies of the paperwork out there to the defence.
Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Bode Olanikpekun, a SAN, the prosecution witness maintained that the certificate was not issued by the NYSC.
Mr Jim are, who maintained that his division is the custodian of all NYSC certificates, defined that discharge certificates are issued to corps members solely on completion of their service yr. He mentioned the discharge certificate serves as proof of the completion of the service yr.
He added that preparatory to the service yr, call-up letters are despatched by the NYSC to the establishments the place potential corp members graduate from and acquire them for mobilisation.
He mentioned NYSC mobilises solely graduates whose establishments ahead their names.
He admitted that he didn’t verify whether or not the NYSC ever issued a discharge certificate to the defendant.
Trial choose Ms Abdulmalik adjourned the case till 30 November 30 for continuation of cross-examination.
She additionally scheduled 29 January 2027 for additional proceedings.
The ICPC opened its case in October, with its first prosecution witness, Yakubu Ibrahim, a superintendent of police officer with company, testifying that each the UNN and the NYSC disowned certificates linked to Mr Nnaji.
Mr Ibrahim mentioned his workforce was assigned to analyze the matter after the fee acquired two separate petitions alleging certificate forgery in opposition to Mr Nnaji.
He mentioned the Chairman of the Special Task Force directed an investigation, prompting the fee to request related paperwork from the National Assembly, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
According to him, the Clerk of the Senate, National Assembly, forwarded Mr Nnaji’s NYSC certificate and BSc certificate in Microbiology and Biochemistry to the fee.
He mentioned NYSC responded that the certificate purportedly issued by the corps was not issued by it.
The witness additional instructed the courtroom that UNN additionally responded that Nnaji did not receive the required grades for the award of his certificate.
He mentioned the college defined in its letter the coverage governing the grades required for the award of a certificate saying if one failed 4 instances, the individual was not certified.
Mr Ibrahim mentioned Mr Nnaji failed at two phases and didn’t write the examination on the third stage for medical causes.
“The witness said that, according to the letter, the defendant went ahead to write the supplementary examination for which he did not register,” he mentioned.
Mr Ibrahim additional testified that UNN confirmed that the BSc certificate in Microbiology and Biochemistry attributed to the defendant was not issued by the college.
He mentioned the fee additionally obtained paperwork from the SGF’s workplace, together with a payslip, which prompted it to request Mr Nnaji’s financial institution assertion.
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According to him, the financial institution assertion confirmed that Mr Nnaji acquired N29.5 million in wage as minister earlier than he resigned.
The witness recognized letters despatched to the Clerk of the Senate, the SGF, UNN, NYSC, the financial institution and Mr Nnaji, which had been tendered in proof.
He additionally instructed the courtroom that Mr Nnaji did not honour the fee’s invitation to reply questions on the petitions, prompting the ICPC to contact the State Security Service (SSS).
Ibrahim mentioned the SSS subsequently arrested Mr Nnaji on 1 July.
On 13 July, ICPC arraigned the 63-year-old on six prices earlier than the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Counts three, 4, 5 and 6 particularly relate to the alleged certificate forgery, whereas the primary two counts relate to the alleged misappropriation of funds whereas in workplace.
He pleaded not responsible to the fees.
Judge Joyce Abdulmalik granted him bail within the sum of N20 million with one surety.
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