Tinubu orders arrest over alleged fake government agency
President Tinubu has ordered an arrest and suspended three Permanent Secretaries after the ICPC uncovered an unauthorised agency in the SGF’s office.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze after investigators uncovered an alleged fake government agency operating within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) said it discovered the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office operating from the SGF complex without presidential approval.
ICPC Chairman Musa Adamu Aliyu disclosed the development on Friday while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
According to Aliyu, the alleged agency had been given office space within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) despite having no authorisation from the President.
The ICPC identified Nwabueze as the alleged promoter of the office. Investigators also suspect that some officials within the SGF’s office may have helped facilitate its activities.
The discovery emerged during investigations into an earlier case involving the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), as well as concerns about weaknesses in government oversight and internal controls.
Following the ICPC briefing, President Tinubu directed the immediate arrest of Nwabueze. He also ordered the suspension of three Permanent Secretaries:
- M. S. Danjuma
- Engineer Nadungu Gagare
- Richard P. Pheelangwah
The ICPC investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to establish how the alleged agency secured space within the government complex and whether other officials were involved.
President Tinubu has also ordered a forensic audit of government processes. The review is intended to identify weaknesses that could allow unauthorised bodies or individuals to operate within government institutions.
The latest investigation adds to concerns over the need for stronger checks within federal government offices. It also signals a renewed effort by the administration to investigate alleged abuses involving government structures and processes.
What measures do you think the Federal Government should introduce to prevent unauthorised agencies from operating within official offices?
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