Tinubu suspends 3 Perm Secs, orders Nwabueze’s arrest
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has uncovered another fake agency operating under the name National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
The ICPC chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, disclosed this to State House correspondents on Friday after briefing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the commission’s latest findings.
According to Aliyu, the discovery was made in the course of the commission’s broader investigation into the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and procedural weaknesses within the public service.
He said the purported agency had been allocated office space within the OSGF premises.
The promoter of the agency was identified as George Buchi Nwabueze.
Aliyu said Nwabueze was also found to operate under several variations of his name, including George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Hon George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze.
The ICPC chairman said the commission had engaged the OSGF to obtain vital information concerning the purported agency and the ongoing investigation.
“I have briefed Mr President comprehensively on these new developments. ICPC will continue with its investigations,” he said.
Following the briefing, President Tinubu directed the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze.
He also ordered the immediate suspension of three Permanent Secretaries: M.S. Danjuma, Engineer Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah.
The latest development comes amid the controversy surrounding the PFIPC, which had presented itself as a government body and triggered an investigation over concerns about its activities and the documents used to support its existence.
President Tinubu subsequently directed the ICPC to investigate the purported council and related procedural weaknesses within the public service.
The investigation led to the arrest of Adeniyi Adeyemi, the promoter of the PFIPC, after authorities moved against him over allegations linked to the purported agency.
As the investigation progressed, the ICPC uncovered two additional fictitious agencies linked to the PFIPC case. They are the Foreign Capital and Wealth Investment Promotion Agency (FCWIPA) and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency/Public-Private Partnership (FIPA-PPP).
The ICPC’s investigation also examined weaknesses in government processes and procedures that could allow fictitious agencies or offices to operate within the public service.
According to the commission, procedural issues were identified in institutions including the OSGF, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Budget Office of the Federation and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
The discovery of the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office represents another development in the widening investigation into fictitious agencies and weaknesses in government processes.
The developments also prompted the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to call for a forensic audit of government processes and internal controls.
The exercise is aimed at identifying weaknesses that may have allowed fictitious agencies and offices to penetrate government structures and processes, as well as strengthening the systems to prevent a recurrence.
The latest ICPC findings have therefore widened the scope of the probe, with the commission continuing its investigation while President Tinubu has ordered the arrest of Nwabueze and the suspension of the three Permanent Secretaries.
EXPLAINER
1. Fake Agency Uncovered
The ICPC uncovered the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office operating within the OSGF premises without legitimate government backing.
2. Nwabueze Identified
The commission identified George Buchi Nwabueze as the agency’s promoter. President Tinubu subsequently ordered his immediate arrest over the alleged activities.
3. Three Perm Secs Suspended
President Tinubu suspended three Permanent Secretaries — M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard Pheelangwah — following the ICPC’s latest findings.
4. Probe Widens
The discovery followed investigations into the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, which also exposed two other fictitious agencies.
5. Forensic Audit Ordered
The Federal Executive Council ordered a forensic audit of government processes and internal controls to identify loopholes that allow fictitious agencies to operate.
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