The ICPC uncovers fake government agencies investigation has revealed two additional fictitious government bodies while probing the activities of Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, who allegedly paraded himself as the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, disclosed the findings on Thursday after presenting the commission’s interim investigation report to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
According to Aliyu, investigations established that Adeyemi was never appointed by the Federal Government and that the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council was never created through 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,” Aliyu said.
He explained that the fake agency allegedly took over offices and facilities formerly occupied by the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) and used them to carry out unlawful activities, including impersonation and false representation.
The ICPC uncovers fake government agencies probe also revealed two other fictitious organisations—the FCT Investment Promotion Agency (PIFA) and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (PIPA).
Aliyu said investigations showed that both agencies were created using forged legislative documents and were allegedly used to open bank accounts for illegal operations.
According to the ICPC chairman, Adeyemi also changed the name of the fake agency from the Foreign Investment Promotion Council to the Foreign Intervention Promotion Council while allegedly attempting to expand its activities to include revenue generation.
He noted that investigators found no evidence that government funds were approved or released to the fake organisation.
Aliyu further stated that the commission did not uncover any security breach within the State House or the Central Bank of Nigeria that facilitated the agency’s operations.
The investigation, he said, identified alleged 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).
The ICPC recommended the prosecution of Adeyemi, disciplinary action against public officials found to have aided the operation, and reforms aimed at strengthening internal controls across government institutions.
Aliyu described the report submitted to President Tinubu as an interim report, explaining that investigations are continuing to identify other individuals who may have been involved and to prepare criminal charges where necessary.
He added that President Tinubu acknowledged the commission’s findings and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and the fight against corruption.
BACKSTORY:
The investigation began after concerns emerged over the activities of the so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), an organisation that allegedly operated as a federal agency despite lacking any legal backing.
The ICPC subsequently launched a probe into the activities of its self-acclaimed Director-General, Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, to determine the authenticity of the agency and the documents used in its operations.
Preliminary findings showed that the PFIPC was never created by an Act of the National Assembly or an executive order of the Federal Government. Investigators also alleged that forged appointment letters and legislative documents were used to give the organisation an appearance of legitimacy.
The latest findings, including the discovery of two additional fake agencies, have raised fresh concerns about weaknesses in government oversight and internal controls. The ICPC says investigations are ongoing to identify all those involved and ensure that anyone found culpable is prosecuted in accordance with the law.
