President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate arrest of a suspected fraudster and the suspension of three permanent secretaries following the discovery of yet another fake federal agency operating within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) uncovered the phantom office — named the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office — during an ongoing investigation into a separate fake presidential council.
ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Aliyu, SAN, disclosed this to State House correspondents on Friday after briefing the President for the second time in two days.
According to Aliyu, the fake agency was promoted by George Buchi Nwabueze, who also operated under at least four other aliases, including George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Honourable George Buchi Nwabueze, and Prince George Buchi Nwabueze.
The ICPC said the office was illegally allocated space within the OSGF premises without presidential authorisation and in violation of extant laws.
Following the briefing, President Tinubu directed the immediate arrest of George Buchi Nwabueze and the immediate suspension of three permanent secretaries: M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare, and Richard P. Pheelangwah.
This is the fourth fictitious government body uncovered since the scandal first broke in April with the exposure of the fake Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIFC). Its self-styled Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, is already facing prosecution for forgery and impersonation.
The ICPC had earlier submitted an interim report to the President on August 6, revealing two other fake bodies: the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership.
Aliyu assured that the ICPC would continue its investigations, adding that the commission had already engaged the OSGF to obtain vital records related to the latest discovery.
“The fake agency was promoted with active suspected collaborators in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” Aliyu stated.
Discussion about this post