ABUJA: President Bola Tinubu has ordered the suspension of three permanent secretaries following the discovery of another alleged fake federal government agency by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The ICPC said it uncovered the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, which allegedly operated from office space within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The commission’s Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, disclosed the development during a briefing on Friday, saying preliminary investigations indicated that the organisation had been promoted by George Buchi Nwabueze in collaboration with some senior public servants within the OSGF.
According to Aliyu, investigators discovered that Nwabueze operated under four variations of his name while promoting the organisation.
The ICPC chairman said the discovery was made during the commission’s ongoing investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, or PFIPC, linked to Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew.
Following the latest findings, Tinubu ordered the arrest of Nwabueze and directed the immediate suspension of three permanent secretaries in the OSGF.
However, unlike the PFIPC case, the ICPC said it had not established that the newly discovered organisation received an allocation from the national budget.
The ICPC said its discovery of the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office resulted from its investigation into the earlier alleged fake agency scandal.
Earlier in August, the commission concluded its investigation into the PFIPC and reported that the organisation had no legal backing from the National Assembly or through an executive order issued by the President.
The investigation also found that the Federal Government had neither approved nor disbursed funds to the alleged PFIPC.
The ICPC further identified two other organisations allegedly connected to Adeyemi — the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public Private Partnership.
Investigators also accused Adeyemi of forging legislative instruments, described as Enabling Acts, which were allegedly used to open bank accounts in the name of the purported agencies.
The National Assembly had earlier agreed to investigate how the PFIPC allegedly secured a N1.302bn provision in the 2026 Appropriation Act despite the organisation allegedly having no legal foundation.
According to the ICPC, one of the major findings from its investigation was that an alleged letter of appointment presented by Adeyemi as having been signed by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, was fake and did not originate from the Presidency.
The commission also established that the PFIPC and the purported Presidential Economic Advisory Council lacked legal backing.
It further stated that no Federal Government funds were approved or released to the organisations.
The ICPC said it found no systemic weaknesses within the State House or the Central Bank of Nigeria that could have facilitated the alleged activities.
Following the investigation, the commission recommended the prosecution of Adeyemi and other persons connected to the alleged fake agencies.
The newly identified organisation reportedly presented itself as an initiative under the economic affairs structure of the OSGF, with a mandate to promote Nigerian-made products and encourage local production.
Information published on its website claimed that the Made in Nigeria initiative originated in 2006 during the Nigeria-Singapore Economic Forum and was later formalised under the leadership of Ambassador Chike Alex Anigbo.
The organization also claimed that the Federal Executive Council approved the initiative in 2017 and that it initially operated as a public-private partnership.
Its website reportedly listed George Buchi Nwabueze as National Coordinator and Executive Director, alongside zonal and state coordinators across the country.
It also listed representatives in countries including the United States and China.
The organization reportedly planned Made-in-Nigeria fairs and expos in Abia and Anambra states later in 2026.
Despite its activities and claims, the organisation reportedly did not operate with a gov.ng domain and, according to the ICPC’s preliminary findings, did not have a specific provision in the national budget.
The latest discovery has raised fresh concerns about the emergence of organisations presenting themselves as Federal Government agencies without proper legal authority.
The development comes as the Tinubu administration faces growing scrutiny over the activities of individuals and organizations allegedly attempting to exploit government structures, official offices and public resources.
The ICPC’s latest investigation is expected to determine the extent of involvement of the suspended permanent secretaries and other public officials, as well as whether the alleged agency benefited from government facilities or official recognition.
