...faces of head of "fake agency" 20 cordinators
Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency has uncovered another alleged fake government office operating from the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, prompting President Bola Tinubu to order the arrest of its alleged promoter and suspend three senior government officials.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission said Friday that the organisation, known as the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, had been operating without presidential authorization. ICPC Chairman Musa Adamu Aliyu disclosed the findings after briefing Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The commission identified George Buchi Nwabueze, also known as Prince George Buchi Nwabueze, as the alleged promoter of the organisation. Aliyu said the office had been allocated space within the OSGF premises despite not having the legal authority required to operate as a government agency.
Tinubu subsequently ordered Nwabueze’s immediate arrest and directed the suspension of three permanent secretaries — M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah — pending further investigation.
According to the ICPC, Nwabueze allegedly operated under several variations of his name, including George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Hon. George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze. The commission said it was investigating suspected collaborators within the OSGF.
The discovery emerged from a wider ICPC investigation into the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, another organisation authorities have described as fictitious. The earlier investigation has raised questions about how an organisation that allegedly lacked legal authorization was able to present itself as a government institution and gain access to official facilities.
The latest discovery has also expanded concerns about weaknesses in Nigeria’s public-service procedures. The ICPC said its investigation had identified possible vulnerabilities involving several government institutions, including the OSGF, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Budget Office of the Federation and the National Information Technology Development Agency.
The commission’s investigation into the earlier case had already identified other purported bodies, including the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency/Public-Private Partnership, according to reports on the ICPC findings.
The National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office had, meanwhile, publicly presented itself as an organisation promoting Nigerian products and national brands. A website associated with the project identifies Nwabueze as its national coordinator and executive director and says the project participated in events including the Abuja Expo and Buy Nigeria Trade Fair. Those claims are now under scrutiny following the ICPC's findings.
It remains unclear whether the alleged organisation received government funding or how much money, if any, may have passed through it. The ICPC has not publicly established that public funds were diverted through the office.
The development comes weeks after authorities began investigating the alleged creation and operation of fictitious government bodies. The first case involved Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, the self-styled head of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, who was arrested and is facing allegations including forgery and impersonation.
Tinubu’s latest directives indicate that investigators are now examining not only those accused of creating the purported agencies but also the government officials and administrative processes that allegedly allowed them to operate within official premises.
The ICPC said it would continue its investigation and determine the extent of involvement of individuals within government.
The case underscores a broader question for Nigeria’s public administration: how organisations that allegedly lack the legal authority to function as government agencies can obtain office space, establish official-looking structures and operate close to the center of government without being detected.
.jpg)
0 Comments