President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate arrest of George Buchi Nwabueze and suspended three permanent secretaries following the discovery of another alleged fake government agency operating within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The latest development followed findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, which is investigating alleged fake government agencies and weaknesses in the Federal Government’s administrative processes.
The ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu, disclosed this on Friday after briefing President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Aliyu said investigators uncovered an entity identified as the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, which was allegedly allocated office space within the OSGF without presidential authorisation.
According to him, the discovery was made during the commission’s wider investigation into the alleged activities of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and other unauthorised entities operating within government structures.
The ICPC chairman said the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office was allegedly promoted by Nwabueze, who was said to have operated under different variations of his name.
He further alleged that the office had collaborators within the OSGF.
Aliyu said the commission had engaged officials of the OSGF to obtain information about the controversial office before presenting its findings to the President.
Following the briefing, he said Tinubu directed the immediate arrest of Nwabueze.
“Following the briefing, Mr President directed the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze,” Aliyu said.
The President also ordered the immediate suspension of three permanent secretaries identified as M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah.
Aliyu said the ICPC investigation was still ongoing, stressing that additional action could be taken as investigators uncover more facts.
The development represents another major step in the Federal Government’s ongoing scrutiny of alleged unauthorised activities and administrative loopholes within the public service.
The ICPC chairman commended Tinubu for directing a forensic audit of government processes, describing the move as necessary to identify weaknesses that could be exploited for abuse.
He said the investigation would determine the full extent of the alleged activities and establish the identities and roles of all individuals who may have been involved.
The latest discovery comes amid the ICPC’s intensified investigation into alleged fake entities operating within government structures, following the President’s directive to probe the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
