President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate arrest of a promoter of a purported government agency and the suspension of three Permanent Secretaries following the discovery of another unauthorised office operating within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
The development followed an investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which uncovered an entity operating as the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office.
The ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, disclosed this on Friday while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Aliyu said the purported agency was promoted by Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and had been allocated office space within the premises of the OSGF despite not being an authorised government agency.
He said the discovery formed part of the Commission’s ongoing investigation into the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and procedural weaknesses within the public service.
“On the issue of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and procedural weaknesses in the public service, the ICPC has uncovered another fake agency/office operating under the name National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office,” Aliyu said.
He said the office had been illegally allocated space within the premises of the OSGF, adding that the Commission had commenced engagement with the office to establish how the purported agency gained access to government facilities.
According to the ICPC chairman, investigations showed that Nwabueze operated under several variations of his name, including George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Hon. George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze.
Aliyu said he had briefed President Tinubu on the findings and other developments arising from the investigation.
“Accordingly, Mr President has directed the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze,” he said.
The ICPC chairman added that the President had also directed the immediate suspension of three Permanent Secretaries: M.S. Danjuma, Engr. Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah.
He said the suspensions were part of measures being taken to address the procedural weaknesses uncovered in the course of the investigation.
Aliyu said the ICPC had engaged the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to obtain relevant information concerning the purported agency and the circumstances surrounding the allocation of office space to it.
He stressed that the investigation remained active and was being conducted under the direction of the President.
The latest development comes against the backdrop of the ICPC’s investigation into the PFIPC, which has raised concerns over the establishment and operation of purported government-linked entities and weaknesses in administrative procedures within the public service.
The Commission’s investigation is expected to establish the full extent of the activities of the purported agencies, the individuals involved and how they were able to operate within government premises.
The ICPC chairman said the Commission would continue to work with relevant government institutions to uncover any further irregularities and strengthen safeguards against the misuse of government offices and processes.
