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

Security sources said Nnaji was apprehended in the early hours of the day while preparing to board a private jet bound for Abuja.

According to the sources, the arrest was carried out at the request of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which is investigating the former minister over allegations linked to his tenure in office.

The sources said Nnaji was subsequently handed over to the ICPC for further investigation.

“The DSS acted on the request of the ICPC. He was arrested at the Enugu airport while preparing to board a private jet to Abuja and has since been handed over to the commission,” one of the sources said.

Another source disclosed that the ICPC had previously invited Nnaji several times over petitions alleging irregularities in the management of the Ministry of Science and Technology but claimed he did not honour the invitations.

The source added that the anti-graft agency sought the DSS’s assistance to effect his arrest after the former minister allegedly failed to respond to the invitations.

Nnaji resigned as Minister of Science and Technology in October last year under circumstances that attracted public attention.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the DSS nor the ICPC had issued an official statement on the arrest, while Nnaji had not publicly responded to the allegations. Calls to ICPC spokesperson John Odeh were not answered.