UNN, VC seek dismissal of ex-minister Nnaji’s certificate forgery suit

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), its Vice-Chancellor Prof. Simon Ortuanya, and other officials have urged the Federal High Court, Abuja, to dismiss a suit filed by former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, over alleged certificate forgery.

In a notice of preliminary objection, the defendants argued that the suit, now before Justice Hauwa Yilwa, is statute-barred, incompetent, and wrongly filed, urging the court to strike it out.

Nnaji had filed the case, ABJ/CS/1909/2025, against the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), and several UNN officials, before his exit from office, following allegations of certificate forgery.

At Monday’s proceedings, Nnaji’s counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), told the court he had just been served the defendants’ objection shortly before the hearing. The judge adjourned the matter to January 13, 2026, for hearing.

The defendants maintained that the suit was not filed within the three-month limit set by the Public Officers Protection Act, and that the Federal High Court lacks jurisdiction over issues concerning academic records and results, which should first exhaust internal university remedies.

They also argued that no valid cause of action was disclosed against the university officials, insisting Prof. Ortuanya acted strictly within his official capacity as Vice-Chancellor.