The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that a discharge certificate attributed to former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, was not issued by the agency, as proceedings continue in the former minister’s alleged certificate forgery case.
An Assistant Director in the NYSC Department of Certification, Yusuf Abubakar Jumare, made the disclosure on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, while testifying as the second prosecution witness before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
Jumare appeared in court as part of the prosecution’s case against Nnaji, who is facing charges bordering on alleged certificate forgery, money laundering and abuse of office.
The witness explained that his department conducted an investigation following a request from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
According to him, the investigation identified irregularities in the NYSC discharge certificate attributed to the former minister.
However, during cross-examination, Jumare acknowledged that he had not established whether Nnaji had ever been issued a certificate by the corps.
The clarification is important because the case remains before the court, and the allegations have yet to be determined through the judicial process.
NYSC identifies four irregularities
During his testimony, Jumare identified four discrepancies in the certificate presented in connection with Nnaji’s National Youth Service records.
The first concerned the certificate number, which reportedly contained an alphabetic prefix beginning with the letter A.
The witness said the NYSC did not begin using that particular prefix until 1990, raising questions about its appearance on a document associated with an earlier service period.
The second irregularity involved the call-up number.
Jumare explained that call-up numbers issued in 1985 contained five digits, while the number appearing on the disputed document contained only four digits, reportedly 0137.
The third issue related to the service period stated on the certificate.
According to the witness, the document reflected a service period of 13 months rather than the 12 calendar months applicable to the period in question.
The fourth discrepancy concerned the absence of the signature of the Director-General who was serving at the time the certificate was purportedly issued.
The NYSC official maintained that these discrepancies formed part of the reasons his department concluded that the document was not issued by the agency.
Witness faces questions during cross-examination
Although the prosecution presented the NYSC official’s findings as part of its case, the witness faced further questions from the defence during cross-examination.
Jumare admitted that he did not establish whether Nnaji had ever been issued a discharge certificate by the NYSC.
This aspect of the testimony is significant because it highlights the distinction between identifying irregularities in a document and establishing the complete history of an individual’s service and certification records.
The defence also raised concerns about documentary evidence presented during the proceedings.
The prosecution tendered correspondence between the ICPC and NYSC as exhibits, but Nnaji’s defence team said it had not received the documents and reserved its objection.
The court will have to consider the evidence presented by both sides before reaching any determination on the allegations.
ICPC investigation extends to university certificate
The NYSC-related allegations form part of a wider investigation into Nnaji’s academic and service credentials.
During an earlier sitting, an ICPC investigator, Superintendent of Police Yakubu Ibrahim, told the court that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, had disowned a degree certificate attributed to the former minister.
The investigator reportedly stated that the university informed the commission that Nnaji did not meet the academic requirements for the award of the Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and Biochemistry attributed to him.
He further testified that the university confirmed that the degree certificate was not issued by the institution.
The investigation is part of the commission’s allegations that Nnaji presented questionable academic and NYSC documents during the process leading to his appointment as minister in 2023.
The ICPC has also alleged that the former minister received approximately ₦29.5 million in salaries and allowances during his time in office.
These allegations form part of the criminal case currently before the Federal High Court.
Former minister faces six-count charge
Nnaji was arraigned on a six-count charge bordering on alleged certificate forgery, money laundering and abuse of office.
The charges relate to allegations surrounding the presentation and use of disputed academic and NYSC documents.
The former minister pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
His plea means that the prosecution is required to establish its allegations through admissible evidence during the trial.
The defence also has the opportunity to challenge the prosecution’s witnesses, question the evidence presented and put forward its own case.
The proceedings are therefore ongoing, and the allegations should not be treated as established criminal findings before the court reaches a decision.
Court fixes dates for continuation of proceedings
Following the latest proceedings, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the case until November 30, 2026, for the continuation of the cross-examination of Jumare.
The court also scheduled January 29, 2027, for further proceedings in the trial.
The adjournment will provide the defence with an opportunity to continue questioning the NYSC official over his testimony and the findings presented by the prosecution.
The case has attracted considerable public attention because of the importance of academic qualifications and mandatory national service records in public appointments.
The controversy has also renewed discussions about the verification of credentials submitted by individuals seeking political appointments and other sensitive public positions.
Importance of credential verification in public service
The case highlights the importance of proper verification procedures within government institutions.
Public appointments often require individuals to provide academic qualifications, professional records and other supporting documents.
Institutions responsible for issuing such documents play an important role in confirming their authenticity when questions arise.
For the NYSC, maintaining accurate mobilisation and discharge records is particularly important because participation in the scheme is a statutory requirement for eligible Nigerian graduates, subject to applicable exemptions.
The outcome of Nnaji’s case could further draw attention to the procedures used by public institutions to verify credentials and respond to allegations of document irregularities.
For now, the matter remains before the Federal High Court, and the next proceedings are expected to provide further insight into the evidence being presented by the prosecution and the response of the defence.
