President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and the suspension of three permanent secretaries following the discovery of a fourth fake government agency operating inside the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF). The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Chairman, Dr Musa Aliyu, SAN, made the announcement on Friday while briefing State House correspondents after his second consecutive day of meetings with the President, following an earlier session on Thursday.
ICPC Uncovers Illegal Office in OSGF
Aliyu revealed that the newly discovered body, named the "National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office," had been allocated office space within the OSGF compound without any presidential authorisation. He stated that the office was promoted by Nwabueze, with suspected collaborators inside the OSGF, acting contrary to extant laws.
Investigators found that Nwabueze operated under multiple aliases, including George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Honourable George Buchi Nwabueze, and George Nwabueze. Following the briefing, Tinubu ordered Nwabueze's immediate arrest and the suspension of three permanent secretaries: M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare, and Richard P. Pheelangwah.
Fourth Fake Body Since PFIFC Scandal
This discovery is the latest in a widening scandal that began with the exposure of the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIFC). Its self-styled Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, is currently facing prosecution for forgery and impersonation. An ICPC interim report submitted to the President on August 6, after a 30-day investigation, had already flagged two other fictitious bodies: the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership.
The National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office brings the total number of fake agencies uncovered in connection with the PFIFC scandal to four since early April. Aliyu confirmed that the ICPC has engaged the OSGF to gather relevant information and will continue its investigations. "I have briefed Mr President comprehensively on these new developments. ICPC will continue with its investigations accordingly," he said.
