Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the release of the international passport of former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji.
The judge granted the request after Nnaji’s counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ogwu Onoja, filed a motion seeking the release of the document to enable the former minister to travel abroad for medical treatment.
In a short ruling on Monday, September 21, 2026, Justice Abdulmalik ordered the release of the passport and fixed October 26 for the continuation of Nnaji’s trial.
The development comes after the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, arraigned Nnaji on July 13 on a six-count charge bordering on alleged certificate forgery, false information and corruption.
Nnaji pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
According to the ICPC, Nnaji allegedly received ₦29.58 million in salary and allowances between August 2023 and October 2025 while serving as minister. The commission described the money as proceeds of unlawful acts under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The anti-graft agency also accused him of using his office to confer a corrupt advantage on himself by receiving the same salary and allowances.
The remaining counts concern allegations that Nnaji presented and used forged documents, including an NYSC certificate and a University of Nigeria, Nsukka certificate in Microbiology/Biochemistry, during the documentation process for his appointment as minister.
The ICPC alleged that Nnaji knowingly presented the documents as genuine despite allegedly knowing they were forged.
Following his arraignment, Nnaji’s counsel applied for bail. The prosecution said it was ready to proceed with the trial and had three witnesses available, but did not oppose the bail application.
Justice Abdulmalik subsequently granted Nnaji bail in the sum of ₦20 million with one surety in like sum.
The court specified that the surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 15 and must have maintained a fixed residence for at least four years. The surety was also required to provide employment documents, including a letter of appointment and salary slips for the previous three months.
As part of the bail conditions, the court had earlier ordered Nnaji to deposit his international passport and other travel documents with the court.
The latest ruling allows him to retrieve his passport for the stated purpose of seeking medical treatment abroad.
The allegations against Nnaji remain before the court, where the trial is scheduled to continue on October 26.
