Legal practitioner Liborous Oshoma has defended the arrest of former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, by the Department of State Services (DSS), describing it as a necessary step toward ensuring accountability and restoring public confidence in government institutions.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Oshoma said the allegations against the former minister were too serious to be ignored, especially after an investigative report by Premium Times and the findings of a panel reportedly set up by the Minister of Education.
According to Oshoma, the panel allegedly concluded that Nnaji’s university certificate and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate were forged.
“If you used those certificates to secure appointment into public office and earned salaries on the basis that you were a graduate, then government should also examine the actions you took while in office,” he said.
The lawyer argued that if the allegations are proven in court, the former minister should not only face prosecution but should also refund salaries received while serving in government.
Oshoma dismissed suggestions that the case was purely politically motivated, insisting that regardless of any political undertones, the allegations deserved criminal investigation.
“There might be politics, but if you have skeletons in your cupboard, your opponents will expose them. The issue remains whether the certificates were forged,” he stated.
He also criticised the reported refusal by the former minister to honour invitations from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), saying public officials are not above the law.
“It is unfortunate if someone believes, ‘Do you know who I am?’ should exempt them from investigation,” he said.
Oshoma further questioned the effectiveness of the screening process conducted by the DSS and the Senate before Nnaji’s appointment as minister, describing it as embarrassing that journalists reportedly uncovered issues that security agencies failed to detect.
He warned that any attempt to shield the former minister from prosecution could damage the credibility of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“The government should not give him a soft landing. If there is evidence, the Attorney General and relevant agencies should ensure the matter is prosecuted to its logical conclusion,” Oshoma said.
The lawyer maintained that allowing the case to proceed without political interference would send a strong message that no public official is above the law.
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