NYSC Disowns Nnaji’s Certificate, Lists Four Irregularities

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has disowned the discharge certificate linked to former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Nnaji, informing a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday that the document was never issued by the scheme.

Testifying as the second prosecution witness (PW2) before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, Assistant Director in the NYSC Department of Certification, Yusuf Abubakar Jumare, stated that an internal investigation confirmed the certificate was forged.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is currently prosecuting Nnaji over allegations of certificate forgery and money laundering under suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/389/2026.

Nnaji is the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the upcoming Enugu State gubernatorial election.

He was represented in court by a legal team led by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), alongside Chief Ugwu Onoja (SAN), Bode Olanipekun (SAN), and George Ibrahim (SAN).

Guided in evidence by prosecution counsel Jimoh Abdulmumuni (SAN), Jumare explained that the scheme initiated its verification exercise following a formal request from the ICPC.

The witness highlighted four specific irregularities proving the certificate’s invalidity:

First, the certificate number, purportedly issued in 1985, carries the prefix “A”, a coding format the NYSC only introduced in 1990.

Second, the call-up number on the document contains four digits (0137), whereas authentic call-up numbers in 1985 comprised five digits.

Third, the document indicates a service duration of 13 months instead of the standard 12-month calendar year.

Fourth, the certificate does not bear the signature of the NYSC Director-General who served during that period.

The prosecution tendered official correspondence between the ICPC and the NYSC regarding the disputed certificate, which the court admitted in evidence as exhibits.

The defense team reserved its objections to the admissibility of the exhibits, noting that it had not yet been formally served with the documents. In response, the prosecution counsel explained he had recently taken over the brief and pledged to serve the defense promptly.

Under cross-examination by Bode Olanipekun (SAN), Jumare insisted that the document did not emanate from the NYSC, reaffirming that his department remains the sole custodian of all discharge certificates issued upon successful completion of national service.

He clarified that call-up letters are sent directly to universities for graduate collection upon mobilization, though he acknowledged during questioning that he did not verify if the defendant had ever been issued a separate, genuine NYSC certificate elsewhere.

Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to November 30 for the continuation of PW2’s cross-examination, and to January 29 for the continuation of trial.