Nigeria’s former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has demanded accountability from the country’s domestic intelligence agency after a former cabinet minister resigned amid allegations of certificate forgery.
Ex-Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, stepped down on Tuesday after questions were raised about his academic qualifications. His resignation, accepted by President Bola Tinubu, was confirmed in a statement by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga.
Reacting on Wednesday, Atiku said the Department of State Services (DSS), which vets senior government appointees, should be held responsible for clearing Nnaji in the first place.
“The DSS has failed in its duty of due diligence, and Nigeria has been made a laughing stock,” he said. “Until this cleansing is done, the country will continue to sink deeper into moral decay, economic ruin and global embarrassment.”
He argued that Nnaji should not have been given the “courtesy” of voluntary resignation but instead dismissed and prosecuted. Allowing him to leave quietly, Atiku warned, could embolden others with falsified records to infiltrate public service.
The controversy has renewed debate over Nigeria’s vetting system for political appointments and the broader issue of integrity in public life.
