The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has called on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to broaden its investigation into former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Geoffrey Uche Nnaji, over allegations of unlawful salary payments, payroll irregularities and possible abuse of public office.

In a supplementary petition signed by its Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, HEDA said the latest request builds on an earlier petition submitted on October 17, 2025, in which the organisation accused the former minister of certificate forgery, perjury and presenting allegedly false academic credentials.

The anti-corruption organisation said newly obtained information, which it claimed originated from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), indicated that Nnaji may have remained on the Federal Government’s payroll even after leaving office.

According to HEDA, payroll records for June 2026 allegedly listed the former minister under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), with a reported net salary payment of ₦170,282.61 for the month and cumulative earnings of ₦5,845,601.13.

The organisation argued that if the allegations are substantiated, they would point to serious lapses in the management of the government’s payroll system and raise concerns about accountability among officials responsible for administering public sector salary records.

HEDA also urged the ICPC to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged payments, including any possible involvement of public officials who may have enabled or failed to prevent the continued disbursement of government funds.

Suraju said the alleged retention of a former public office holder on the government payroll, if confirmed, would expose significant weaknesses in payroll oversight and reinforce the need for greater transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.

The ICPC had not issued any public response to the latest petition as of the time of filing this report.