Former Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, was reportedly arrested on Wednesday by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu.

According to security sources, the former minister was apprehended in the early hours of the day while preparing to board a private aircraft bound for Abuja.

The sources disclosed that the DSS carried out the arrest following a request from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which is investigating Nnaji over allegations linked to his time in office.

They further revealed that after the arrest, the former minister was transferred to the custody of the anti-corruption agency to continue its investigation.

According to one of the sources, the DSS acted in response to the ICPC’s request, intercepting Nnaji at the Enugu airport before handing him over to the commission for further questioning.

Another source stated that the ICPC had previously invited the former minister on several occasions in connection with petitions alleging irregularities in the administration of the Ministry of Science and Technology during his tenure.

The source added that after Nnaji allegedly failed to honour those invitations, the commission sought the assistance of the DSS to facilitate his arrest.

Nnaji stepped down as Minister of Science and Technology in October last year, a resignation that attracted considerable public attention at the time.

As of the time of reporting, neither the Department of State Services nor the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission had issued an official statement regarding the arrest, while the former minister had yet to publicly respond to the allegations against him.