Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has uncovered two additional fake government agencies allegedly created by Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, the self-acclaimed Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, as investigations into the alleged fraud widen.
Chairman of the ICPC, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, disclosed this ,Thursday, while briefing Newsmen after presenting the commission’s interim investigation report to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said investigations confirmed that Adeyemi was never appointed by the Federal Government and that the Presidential Foreign Interventiong Council had no legal basis, having neither been established by an Act of the National Assembly nor through the an executive order.
According to him, the appointment letter used by Adeyemi was forged, while the fake PFIPC unlawfully occupied offices and used official instruments belonging to the defunct Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
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He said the syndicate operated from the former PEAC office, allegedly engaging in impersonation, false representation and other illegal activities by exploiting gaps in verification procedures and coordination among government institutions.
The ICPC chairman further revealed that investigators uncovered two additional fictitious agencies—the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency.
“These agencies were created using forged legislative instruments and were used to open bank accounts for illegal activities,” Aliyu said.
He added that Adeyemi later changed the name of the organisation from the Foreign Investment Promotion Council to the Foreign Intervention Promotion Council in a bid to expand its scope to include revenue generation.
Aliyu said investigations found that no government funds were approved or disbursed for the fake PFIPC or PEAC and that there were no security lapses within the State House or the Central Bank of Nigeria systems.
“The investigation found no funds were approved or disbursed for the fake PFIPC/PEAC, and there were no weaknesses in the State House or CBN system,” he stated.
The commission recommended the prosecution of Adeyemi, disciplinary measures against public officials allegedly involved in the operation of the fake agency and reforms to strengthen internal controls across government institutions.
According to the report, officials 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 of the Federation, the Budget Office of the Federation and the National Information Technology Development Agency were identified as collaborators in the scheme.
Aliyu stressed that investigations were ongoing and that more evidence could emerge.
“The report is interim and the investigation continues to uncover more details to file criminal charges against Adeyemi and his collaborators,” he said.
He added that President Tinubu had been briefed on the findings and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability in addressing the matter.
The ICPC commenced investigations after concerns were raised over the existence and activities of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, which allegedly operated as a federal agency despite lacking any legal foundation. Earlier findings indicated thatrv by law and that its alleged director-general used forged appointment documents while unlawfully occupying facilities belonging to the defunct Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
