Tinubu suspends three permanent secretaries over fake agency

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the suspension of three permanent secretaries following the discovery of another fake agency operating within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

 

The affected officials are M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah.

 

The President also directed the immediate arrest of the promoter of the alleged fake agency, George Buchi Nwabueze.

 

The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Musa Aliyu, SAN, disclosed this on Friday after briefing the President on the commission’s latest findings.

 

Aliyu said the fake agency, known as the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, had been allocated office space within the OSGF premises without presidential authorisation and in violation of existing laws.

 

According to him, the agency was promoted by Nwabueze, who allegedly operated under several variations of his name.

 

“The fake agency office, National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, was promoted by one George Buchi Nwabueze, with active suspected collaborators in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, contrary to extant laws and without authorisation of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Aliyu said.

 

He said Nwabueze also operated under the names George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Honourable George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze.

 

The ICPC chairman said the commission had engaged the OSGF to obtain relevant information concerning the fake office and had briefed the President on the findings.

 

Following the briefing, Aliyu said Tinubu directed the immediate arrest of Nwabueze and suspension of the three permanent secretaries.

 

“Mr President has directed as follows: the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze; the immediate suspension of the following permanent secretaries; M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare, and Richard P. Pheelangwah,” he said.

 

The latest discovery is linked to an ongoing investigation into fictitious government agencies, which began after the exposure of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

 

The alleged promoter of the council, Adeniyi Adeyemi, is currently facing prosecution over alleged forgery and impersonation.

 

An interim ICPC report submitted to the President on August 6 had also identified two other fictitious bodies — the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership.

 

The National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office is therefore the fourth alleged fake agency uncovered by the ICPC since the investigation began.