An investigative panel established by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has praised the Vice-Chancellor of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Simon Ortuanya, and the institution’s former Acting Vice-Chancellor, Oguejiofor Ujam, for their role in uncovering the alleged certificate forgery involving former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji.
The seven-member panel was set up on November 23, 2025, after Nnaji petitioned the education minister following a two-year investigation by Premium Times which alleged that the former minister falsified his university degree and National Youth Service Corps certificates.
The committee submitted its report to the minister in December 2025.
In his petition dated October 14, 2025, Nnaji accused senior officials of the university of unethical disclosure, tampering with documents, and politically manipulating his academic records.
He specifically alleged that Ortuanya and Ujam issued forged or unauthorized correspondence, improperly accessed his academic file, and facilitated media reports that misrepresented his academic history.
Nnaji also argued that the vice-chancellor’s response to a Freedom of Information request by Premium Times—confirming that he did not graduate from the institution—amounted to an unauthorized disclosure of confidential academic records.
The panel, chaired by Rakiya Gambo Ilyasu, Director of the University Education Department at the Ministry of Education, adopted several investigative methods including document reviews, interviews, verification exercises, and technical audits.
Other members included James Ocheido, a deputy director in the department who served as secretary, alongside representatives from the ministry and the National Universities Commission.
As part of its investigation, the panel visited the UNN campus in Nsukka and met with several officials, including the vice-chancellor, the former acting vice-chancellor, the registrar Celine Nnebedum, and staff from the records unit.
It also examined academic files, internal communications, convocation archives, Senate-approved graduation lists, and electronic access logs relating to Nnaji’s academic history.
According to the report, the vice-chancellor followed due process when responding to the FOI request from Premium Times and complied fully with the Freedom of Information Act.
The panel stated that Ortuanya sought legal advice from the university’s legal unit before issuing the response.
“There is no evidence of external directives, political influence, unauthorized inputs, or bypassing of procedural steps,” the report noted.
“The approval process complied with internal procedures, FOI obligations, and legal advice. All steps were documented and traceable.”
The panel also clarified that the letter sent to Premium Times was transmitted through proper and lawful channels rather than being leaked.
“The letter reached Premium Times through a formal FOI transmission and not through any unauthorized or clandestine channel,” the report added, noting that it did not constitute a breach of confidentiality.
Panel Praises UNN Leadership
The panel commended both Ortuanya and Ujam for addressing inconsistencies surrounding the former minister’s academic records.
The praise followed conflicting letters previously issued by the university registrar regarding Nnaji’s graduation status.
In December 2023, the registrar informed a media organization that Nnaji graduated from the university in July 1985. However, in a later communication to the Public Complaints Commission in May 2025, the institution said a search of graduation records did not reveal his name.
Ujam served as acting vice-chancellor when the university responded to the commission, while Ortuanya later reaffirmed the same position in response to the FOI request.
“These two officers should be commended for their determination to uphold the truth and restore the dignity of man, which is the motto of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka,” the panel stated.
The panel also reviewed the Senate-approved graduation list for the 1985 academic session and the personal student file of the former minister, discovering that Nnaji’s name did not appear among the graduates.
It further uncovered correspondence between the former minister and the university registry concerning a failed course, MCB 431 (Virology), documented between November 1985 and May 1986.
According to the report, Nnaji wrote to the university requesting permission to retake the course after missing an earlier examination due to ill health.
However, investigators said they could not find any record showing that he later retook or passed the course.
The panel therefore questioned how he obtained a certificate of graduation dated July 1985—one that was reportedly submitted to Bola Tinubu during his ministerial appointment and to the National Assembly of Nigeria during the confirmation process.
The panel’s conclusions align with earlier reports that raised doubts about the authenticity of the former minister’s academic credentials.