Court throws out Tinubu minister’s bid to stop UNN from releasing academic records

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has rejected a request by the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Nnaji, seeking to stop the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) from releasing his academic records.

In a ruling delivered on September 22, 2025, Justice Hausa Yilwa dismissed the Minister’s application for an injunction, which was aimed at restraining the university from releasing or tampering with his academic transcript.

Nnaji had approached the court with an ex parte motion, asking for an order to prevent UNN from making his records public. However, the judge held that the application lacked sufficient grounds to warrant such an order.

The court examined submissions from Nnaji’s legal team and reviewed supporting affidavits before reaching its decision.

In the ruling’s Certified True Copy, the judge acknowledged that though Nnaji had a legitimate interest in the matter; the injunction to restrain UNN from releasing the records could not be granted.

The judge said: “I find that the applicant has sufficient interest in the matter, and the application is partly meritorious.

“Accordingly, prayers 1, 2 and 3 are granted, while prayer 4, which sought an injunction, is declined.”

The judge clarified that the court’s decision should not be interpreted as preventing any party from performing its lawful duties.

The minister has been under fire over allegations that he forged the credentials he submitted to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian Senate during his ministerial confirmation.

It was alleged that Nnaji did not complete his university education and that both the bachelor’s degree and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate he presented to Tinubu as well as to the offices of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Department of State Services (DSS), and Senate were forged.