By Peter Dansu Another alleged fake government agency has been uncovered within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federa...
By Peter Dansu
Another alleged fake government agency has been uncovered within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, OSGF, prompting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to order the immediate arrest of its promoter and the suspension of three permanent secretaries.
The newly discovered entity, known as the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, was allegedly operating from office space within the OSGF without presidential authorisation and in violation of existing laws.
Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Dr Musa Aliyu, SAN, disclosed the development on Friday after briefing President Tinubu for the second time in two days.
According to Aliyu, the agency was promoted by one George Buchi Nwabueze, who allegedly operated under several variations of his name, including George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Honourable George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze.
The ICPC chairman also said investigations uncovered suspected collaborators within the OSGF who were allegedly involved in facilitating the operations of the fake office.
Following the briefing, President Tinubu directed the immediate arrest of Nwabueze and ordered the suspension of three permanent secretaries, identified as M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah.
Aliyu said the commission had engaged the OSGF to obtain relevant information about the alleged fake office and would continue its investigation into the matter.
The latest discovery is part of a broader investigation ordered by President Tinubu following the earlier exposure of the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, whose alleged Director General, Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, is facing prosecution for forgery and impersonation.
An interim ICPC report submitted to the President on August 6 had also revealed two other allegedly fictitious bodies, the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public Private Partnership.
With the discovery of the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, the number of alleged fake agencies uncovered in connection with the ongoing investigation has now risen to four, deepening concerns over unauthorised bodies operating within the Federal Government's administrative structure.
No comments