Alleged Certificate Forgery: UNN Disciplinary Panel Probes Registrar Over False Statement On Ex-Minister Uche Nnaji’s Academic Records

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has commenced disciplinary proceedings against its Registrar, Mrs. Nnebedum Celine Ngozi, over allegations that she issued a false statement to Peoples Gazette concerning the academic records of former Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Mr. Uche Nnaji.

The action follows revelations that the Registrar’s office allegedly released an official letter containing misleading information aimed at defending Mr. Nnaji, who recently resigned from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet amid a certificate forgery scandal.

Mr. Nnaji stepped down on Wednesday night following intense public and political pressure after Peoples Gazette published investigative reports in 2023 and 2024 exposing discrepancies in his claimed university and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) credentials—allegations that also form the basis of an ongoing court case filed by his political opponents.

According to documents reviewed by Peoples Gazette, the newspaper had reached out to Mrs. Nnebedum in October 2023 to verify Mr. Nnaji’s purported degree from UNN. In December 2023, a letter was issued under her authority confirming that “Geoffrey Uchechukwu Nnaji” was admitted in 1981 and graduated in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology/Biochemistry (Second Class Lower Division).

However, a subsequent letter from the Office of the Vice-Chancellor contradicted that claim, stating unequivocally that Mr. Nnaji did not graduate from the university.

University sources disclosed that Mrs. Nnebedum allegedly held a private meeting with Mr. Nnaji in Abuja before responding to the newspaper’s inquiry—a move described by senior UNN officials as “unethical and highly irregular.”

When contacted, Mrs. Nnebedum reportedly said that the controversial letter “was written on her behalf,” although earlier correspondence showed she had personally authenticated the disputed academic records.

Further investigations by The Gazette uncovered multiple inconsistencies in Mr. Nnaji’s documents, including variations in the spelling of his name, contradictions in graduation and NYSC mobilisation dates, and his absence from the official graduation list. Despite these red flags, the Registrar had initially insisted that the credentials were genuine.

Confirming the development, UNN management said Mrs. Nnebedum is currently facing internal disciplinary action for misrepresentation and breach of institutional ethics—offences described as “serious administrative misconduct” that have brought “significant embarrassment” to the university’s image and credibility.