A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed a request by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, seeking to restrain the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), from releasing his academic records amid an ongoing controversy over alleged certificate forgery.

 

Justice Hauwa Yilwa declined to grant the injunctive reliefs sought by Nnaji and adjourned the substantive hearing to November 10, after lawyers representing UNN and its officials failed to file their responses.

 

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1909/2025, was filed by Nnaji against the backdrop of growing allegations that he may have forged his university certificate — a claim he strongly denies.

 

The suit lists the Minister of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), UNN, and its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, as the 1st to 4th respondents. Also joined in the suit are the Registrar of UNN, a former acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Oguenjiofor Ujam, and the university’s Senate, as 5th to 7th respondents.

 

In an ex-parte motion, Nnaji sought several orders, including:

• A writ of prohibition to stop UNN and its officials from “tampering with” or continuing to tamper with his academic records.

• A writ of mandamus compelling the university to release his academic transcript to him.

• An interim injunction restraining UNN from taking any action regarding his academic records until the matter is resolved.

 

While Justice Yilwa granted leave for some of the prerogative writs to be issued on September 22, she refused to grant an injunction restraining the university from acting on the matter, setting the next hearing for October 6.

 

At Monday’s proceeding, Nnaji was represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Sebastine Hon, while E.M. Asogwa appeared for the 3rd to 7th respondents. No legal representatives appeared for the Minister of Education or the NUC.

 

Hon told the court that although the university and its officials were served on September 29, the 4th respondent — Prof. Ortuanya — allegedly wrote a letter to PREMIUM TIMES on October 2, stating that Nnaji was not a graduate of UNN. The newspaper reportedly published the claims in a story titled “Investigation: The serial certificate forger in President Tinubu’s cabinet” on October 4.

 

According to Hon, this action violated the legal expectation that all parties must maintain the status quo after leave is granted by the court. He informed the court that further legal processes would be filed in response to the alleged breach.

 

Responding, Asogwa said that while he would not address the veracity of Hon’s claims in court, the university would advise its clients to maintain the status quo. He also pointed out that the respondents were still within the allowed time frame to file their defence.

 

The case, which has sparked national attention due to the high-profile position of the applicant, is expected to proceed on November 10, when all parties are anticipated to present their arguments before the court.