President Bola Tinubu has ordered the suspension of three permanent secretaries following the discovery of a new fake agency operating within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The suspended officials are M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare, and Richard P. Pheelangwah. The president also ordered the immediate arrest of George Buchi Nwabueze, the alleged promoter of the phoney agency, known as the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office.
ICPC Chairman Briefs State House Correspondents
The chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Musa Aliyu, disclosed these developments to State House correspondents on Friday. Mr Aliyu said Mr Nwabueze “was discovered to also operate under four other variations of names.” The variations include “George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Hon. George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince Geroge Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze.”
“I have briefed Mr President comprehensively on these new developments. ICPC will continue with its investigations,” the ICPC chairman said.
Investigation Origins and Interim Report
The discovery of the new fake agency stemmed from ICPC’s investigations into the alleged fictitious Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC). The ICPC chair had earlier disclosed, after briefing President Tinubu on 6 August, that the probe uncovered two additional fake agencies. Mr Aliyu said he submitted the interim report on 6 August, exactly 30 days after the President ordered a probe into the matter.
Mr Aliyu also stated that the commission recommended the prosecution of Adeniyi Adeyemi, the self-proclaimed Director-General of the PFIPC, over alleged forgery, impersonation, and related offences. The ICPC’s ongoing investigations aim to uncover all individuals involved in the creation and operation of these unauthorised agencies.
