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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the arrest of George Buchi Nwabueze and the suspension of three permanent secretaries following the discovery of an alleged fake agency operating within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Musa Aliyu, SAN, disclosed this to State House correspondents on Friday after briefing the President on the development.
Aliyu said the agency, operating as the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, had allegedly been allocated office space within the OSGF without presidential authorisation and in violation of extant regulations.
According to him, the discovery was made in the course of the ICPC’s wider investigation into alleged fictitious agencies and weaknesses in the public service.
“The ICPC has uncovered another fake agency and office operating under the name National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, which has been illegally allocated office space within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” Aliyu said.
He identified Nwabueze as the promoter of the office and said the investigation had also uncovered what he described as active suspected collaborators within the OSGF.
Aliyu said Nwabueze was found to have operated under several variations of his name, including George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Honourable George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze.
He said the ICPC had engaged the OSGF to obtain relevant information concerning the office and had briefed the President on its findings.
Tinubu orders arrest, suspensions
According to Aliyu, President Tinubu subsequently directed the immediate arrest of Nwabueze and the suspension of three permanent secretaries.
They are M.S. Danjuma, Engineer Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah.
“Mr President has directed as follows: the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze; the immediate suspension of the following permanent secretaries: M.S. Danjuma, Engineer Nadungu Gagare, and Richard P. Pheelangwah,” Aliyu said.
He added that the ICPC would continue its investigation into the matter.
Fourth alleged unlawful agency uncovered
The latest discovery, according to the ICPC chairman, is the fourth alleged unlawful agency uncovered since the commission began investigating the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIFC).
The PFIFC controversy emerged in April, with its self-styled Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, subsequently becoming the subject of investigation.
In an interim report submitted to President Tinubu on August 6 after a 30-day investigation, the ICPC had also disclosed the existence of two other bodies it described as fictitious — the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public
Private Partnership
The ICPC’s broader investigation followed the President’s directive to probe the alleged creation and operation of unauthorised agencies and offices within the Federal Government.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has also commenced an investigation into the PFIFC controversy, with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Accountant-General of the Federation among officials who have appeared before the lawmakers.
The latest development forms part of an ongoing government investigation into alleged unauthorised agencies and offices operating within the Federal Government.
The ICPC has been examining how such bodies were created, obtained official recognition or office accommodation, and allegedly interacted with government institutions despite questions over their legal status.
