NYSC Cites Defects, Disowns Ex-minister Uche Nnaji’s Discharge Certificate

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has disowned the discharge certificate linked to a former minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Nnaji.

He told a Federal High Court in Abuja that it was not issued by the corps.

In his evidence-in-chief, the second prosecution witness (PW2) and an assistant director in the Department of Certification of the NYSC, Yusuf Abubakar Jumare, told Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, that the investigation by his department established that the document was fake.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is prosecuting Nnanji on charges of certificate forgery and money laundering in charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/389/2026.

The former minister is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the forthcoming Enugu State governorship election.

He was represented in court by a team of lawyers led by Chief Wole Olanikpekun (SAN). Other members of the team are Chief Ugwu Onoja (SAN); Bode Olanikpekun (SAN) and George Ibrahim (SAN).

Led in evidence by Jimoh Abdulmumuni (SAN), Jumare said the department launched its investigation following a request from the ICPC.

He identified four features which, he said, showed that the certificate was not issued by the NYSC.

The certificate number, purportedly issued in 1985, carries the prefix “A”, which the NYSC did not begin using until 1990.

The call-up number on the certificate has four digits (0137), whereas call-up numbers in 1985 had five.

The certificate indicates a service period of 13 months instead of 12 calendar months.

It was also not signed by the CEO of the NYSC at the time he claimed to have completed his service. Whereas the designation of NYSC CEO from inception till past the time of his purported completion of service was known as “Director,” Nnaji’s certificate was signed by a “National General.”

The prosecution also tendered copies of correspondence between the ICPC and the NYSC on the alleged fake certificate. They were admitted in evidence and marked as exhibits.

The defence said it would address its objections to the admissibility of the exhibits at a later date, informing the court that it had not been served with the documents.

Prosecution counsel explained that he had only just taken over the case and undertook to make the documents available to the defence.

Under cross-examination by Bode Olanikpekun, SAN, Jumare maintained that the certificate was not issued by the NYSC.

He told the court that his department is the custodian of all NYSC certificates.

That certificates are issued to corps members only on completion of their service year, and serve as proof of that completion.

That call-up letters are sent by the NYSC to universities, where graduates collect them.

Only universities forward the names of graduates to the NYSC for mobilisation. He admitted, however, that he did not check whether the defendant had ever been issued a certificate by the NYSC.

Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the case until November 30 for continuation of cross-examination of PW2, and until January 29 for continuation of trial.