Another fake government agency uncovered as Tinubu orders arrest, suspends 3 perms secs

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and the suspension of three permanent secretaries following the discovery of another alleged fake government agency operating within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).

The fresh development was disclosed on Friday by the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The development is part of the anti-corruption agency’s expanding investigation into alleged fictitious government agencies and weaknesses in Nigeria’s public service system.

ICPC uncovers another fake office

According to Aliyu, the latest investigation uncovered an entity operating under the name National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office.

The ICPC chairman said the purported agency had been illegally allocated office space within the premises of the OSGF without the authorisation of the President.

He said the discovery was made in the course of the commission’s broader investigation into the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), another entity that ICPC has described as fictitious.

“The fake agency office, National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, was promoted by one George Buchi Nwabueze, with active suspected collaborators in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, contrary to extant laws and without authorisation of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Aliyu said.

The commission has since engaged officials of the OSGF to obtain information and documents relating to the establishment and operation of the office.

Nwabueze allegedly used multiple names

Aliyu further disclosed that investigators found that Nwabueze had allegedly operated under several variations of his name.

They include George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Honourable George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze.

The ICPC chairman said the commission had briefed President Tinubu on its findings and would continue its investigation to establish the full circumstances surrounding the creation and operation of the alleged fake office.

The latest discovery has raised fresh concerns about how individuals and entities without legitimate government authorisation could gain access to government facilities and allegedly operate from within an official government complex.

Tinubu orders immediate action

Following the briefing, Aliyu said the President directed the immediate arrest of Nwabueze.

Tinubu also ordered the immediate suspension of three permanent secretaries identified as M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah.

“I have briefed Mr President comprehensively on these new developments. ICPC will continue with its investigations accordingly,” Aliyu said.

He subsequently listed the President’s directives, including the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and the suspension of the three permanent secretaries.

The suspension of the senior civil servants forms part of the administration’s response to the alleged institutional failures uncovered during the investigation.

Probe expands beyond first fake agency

The latest case is an extension of an investigation that has already attracted significant attention following the discovery of the alleged PFIPC.

ICPC had earlier established that the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council had no legal existence and that its purported director-general, Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, was not appointed by the Federal Government.

The commission also found that documents allegedly used to give the fictitious organisation an appearance of legitimacy were forged.

The investigation subsequently widened, with ICPC announcing the discovery of additional fictitious agencies linked to the broader scandal.

The commission’s latest findings suggest that the problem may extend beyond the original PFIPC case to weaknesses within government administrative and verification procedures.

Government facilities under scrutiny

The revelation that the latest alleged fake agency secured office space within the OSGF has heightened questions about the processes through which government offices are created, recognised and allocated official facilities.

The ICPC said the office was allocated space without presidential approval, raising questions about the role of officials who may have facilitated or failed to detect its operation.

The commission has not, however, concluded its investigation into the alleged collaborators or determined the full extent of their involvement.

The three permanent secretaries have also been suspended pending further developments from the investigation.

ICPC vows to continue investigation

The anti-corruption agency said its investigation would continue as it seeks to establish all those involved in the alleged creation and operation of the fake office.

The commission is also expected to examine how the purported agency was able to operate within the OSGF premises and whether other government officials were involved in facilitating its activities.

The latest action underscores the seriousness with which the Tinubu administration is treating the emerging fake-agency scandal, which has exposed questions about administrative controls within the Federal Government.

For now, Nwabueze is the subject of an arrest directive, while the three permanent secretaries remain suspended as the ICPC deepens its investigation.

The commission’s findings could determine whether more officials or individuals will face action as investigators continue to unravel how allegedly fictitious government bodies were able to gain access to official structures.