The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has uncovered two additional fictitious government agencies allegedly created by Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, the self-proclaimed Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC). The commission has recommended Adeyemi's prosecution for forgery, impersonation, and related offences.
ICPC Uncovers Two More Fake Agencies
ICPC Chairman Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN) disclosed the findings on Thursday while briefing State House correspondents after presenting the commission's interim investigation report to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The report came 30 days after the President directed the anti-graft agency to investigate the activities of the purported council.
According to the ICPC, investigators established that Adeyemi was never appointed by the Federal Government and that the PFIPC had no legal backing, having neither been created by an Act of the National Assembly nor by an executive order or any other valid government instrument. The commission also found that the appointment letter presented by Adeyemi, alongside the gazette and other documents used to legitimise the agency, were forged.
Details of the Newly Discovered Agencies
Aliyu said investigators discovered two additional fictitious agencies allegedly created by Adeyemi to expand the scheme. They are:
- FCT Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA)
- Foreign Investment Promotion Agency/Public Private Partnership (FIPA-PPP)
According to the ICPC chairman, the agencies were allegedly established using forged legislative instruments and were used to open bank accounts for illegal activities.
Alleged Illegal Occupancy and Operations
The anti-corruption commission further alleged that Adeyemi unlawfully occupied the offices previously used by the now-defunct Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) and operated the fake PFIPC from the premises. Aliyu said the investigation uncovered widespread impersonation, false representation, and other illegal activities allegedly carried out in the name of the fictitious agency by exploiting weaknesses in verification procedures across government institutions.
Recommendations and Presidency's Clean Bill
Based on its interim findings, the ICPC recommended the prosecution of Adeyemi for alleged offences including forgery, impersonation, and related crimes. The commission also recommended administrative sanctions against public officers whose acts of omission or negligence may have enabled the illegal operation of the fake agencies, as well as reforms to strengthen verification and internal control systems across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Aliyu, however, stressed that the Presidency was not implicated in the matter, noting that the forged appointment letter did not originate from the Office of the President. He also stated that investigators found no evidence that federal funds were approved or disbursed to either the fake PFIPC or the defunct PEAC.
Ongoing Investigation
The ICPC said investigations remain ongoing and that additional criminal charges could follow if more evidence emerges.
