Inside Nigeria, two more fake agencies uncovered in PFIPC investigation

THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has uncovered two more fake government agencies while investigating the activities of the self-acclaimed Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi.

ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, disclosed this on Thursday after presenting the commission’s interim investigation report to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Aliyu said the investigation established that Adeyemi was never appointed by the Federal Government and that the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council was never created by any law or executive order.

“Our investigation confirmed that the appointment letter presented by Adeyemi was forged, while the PFIPC was never legally established by the Federal Government,” he said.

He added that the fake agency took over the offices and facilities of the former Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) and used them to carry out illegal activities, including false representation and impersonation.

The ICPC chairman said the investigation also uncovered two additional fake agencies: the FCT Investment Promotion Agency (PIFA) and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (PIPA).

Aliyu said the two fake agencies were created using forged legislative documents and were used to open bank accounts for illegal activities.

“Our investigation showed that Adeyemi changed the name of the fake agency from the Foreign Investment Promotion Council to the Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and also tried to expand its activities to include revenue generation,” Aliyu said.

Aliyu said the investigation found no evidence that government funds were approved or released to the fake agency.

He added that there were no security lapses within the State House or the Central Bank of Nigeria that enabled its operations.

He disclosed that the investigation identified collaborators from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Office of the Accountant-General, the Budget Office and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

According to him, the commission has recommended the prosecution of Adeyemi, administrative sanctions against public officers who assisted the illegal operation, and reforms to strengthen internal controls in government institutions.

Aliyu said the report submitted to the President was an interim one, noting that investigations were still ongoing to uncover more details and prepare criminal charges against Adeyemi and anyone found to have collaborated with him.

He added that President Tinubu had taken note of the findings and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability.