Premium Times Editor Reveals How Whistleblower Busted Nnaji’s Certificate Scandal

The Editor-in-Chief and Chief Operating Officer of Premium Times, Musikilu Mojeed, has disclosed that a whistleblower initiated the investigation that ultimately exposed alleged certificate forgery by former Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Nnaji.

Mojeed made the revelation on Tuesday night as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today, days after Premium Times published a two-year investigation highlighting discrepancies in Nnaji’s degree and NYSC certificates. Following the report, Nnaji resigned from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.

According to Mojeed, the probe began when Premium Times received an anonymous email from a whistleblower in 2023.

He explained, “The whistleblower was confident that a thorough investigation would uncover something shocking. We took up the challenge and began working on it in 2023.”

The newspaper immediately assigned reporters to scrutinize the allegations. Mojeed emphasized, “We had no prior conflict with the minister and didn’t know him personally. Our strength lies in investigative journalism. When a matter is brought before us, we investigate diligently. Sometimes our findings are incriminating; sometimes they are not. Our responsibility, as mandated by the constitution, is to hold power accountable, which is what we did in this case.”

The Premium Times editor recounted that the team submitted Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to verify Nnaji’s certificates. He noted that the university initially ignored a February 1, 2024, FOI request, which he linked to interference from unnamed “interested parties.”

Mojeed continued, “Progress stalled until August, when new leadership took over at the university. We then submitted a second request, addressing both the vice-chancellor and the registrar separately and couriering letters to each. Fortunately, the vice-chancellor responded promptly, and later the registrar confirmed the same. That was how we advanced the investigation.”