The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has dismissed allegations that former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, deliberately continued to receive government salaries after leaving office, insisting that available documents show he reported the payments and initiated a refund.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, HURIWA's National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, described the allegation as "nonsense borne out of ignorance," arguing that documentary evidence indicates Nnaji promptly alerted the Federal Government after discovering that salary payments had continued following his resignation.
According to the group, Nnaji, who resigned from office on October 7, 2025, wrote to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) requesting a computation of the amount mistakenly paid and details of the appropriate government account to facilitate a refund.
HURIWA quoted the former minister as stating in his correspondence:
"I respectfully request that the relevant office(s) provide the appropriate instructions, computation, and designated government account details to facilitate a full refund of all payments made in error after my resignation from office."
The organisation further disclosed that on June 25, 2026, Nnaji instructed Fidelity Bank Plc to debit his account and remit the funds to the Federal Government through the Remita platform under the Office of the SGF, describing the transaction as a refund of salaries received after his resignation.
HURIWA maintained that the documents contradict claims that the former minister deliberately retained the funds, arguing that he had notified the authorities and taken concrete steps to return the money.
Rather than blaming Nnaji, the rights group urged anti-corruption agencies to investigate the government's payroll system to determine why his profile remained active after he had left office.
The organisation also claimed that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) had previously examined the matter and did not establish that Nnaji orchestrated or was responsible for the continued salary payments.
While reaffirming its support for accountability, HURIWA cautioned against what it described as attempts to politicise corruption allegations ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging the ICPC to conduct an impartial investigation, identify officials responsible for any payroll lapses, and prevent the issue from being exploited for partisan political purposes.
HEDA Petitions ICPC
The development follows a supplementary petition by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), which urged the ICPC to widen its investigation into Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji to include alleged salary fraud, unlawful enrichment, payroll manipulation, and possible conspiracy involving public officials.
The petition, signed by HEDA Chairman Olanrewaju Suraju, stated that payroll records obtained from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) allegedly showed that Nnaji remained listed under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation as "Hon. Minister" and received a net salary payment of ₦170,282.61 for June 2026, with cumulative earnings of ₦5,845,601.13 recorded on the system.
HEDA argued that if verified, the continued payment of public funds to a former officeholder raises serious concerns about weaknesses in the government's payroll management system and public service accountability.
The organisation called on the ICPC to investigate not only the former minister but also officials responsible for maintaining government payroll records, stressing that any confirmed irregularities should be addressed in line with the law.
