President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and suspended three permanent secretaries after the discovery of another unauthorized government office within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF). This development was announced by Musa Aliyu, SAN, Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), during a briefing with President Tinubu on ongoing investigations into counterfeit government entities and public service discrepancies.
The ICPC’s inquiry revealed an office named “National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office” that was functioning within the OSGF premises without presidential approval, breaching public service rules. This came to light amid a broader investigation into the previously uncovered Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFICP) and other potential procedural anomalies within the government.
Nwabueze was identified as the driving force behind this unauthorized office, reportedly operating under various aliases. In response to these findings, President Tinubu ordered Nwabueze’s arrest and suspended three permanent secretaries: M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare, and Richard P. Pheelangwah. The ICPC intends to continue its inquiry to determine the extent of involvement by those associated with the unauthorized office and its operation within government premises.
This newly discovered entity is reportedly the fourth such illicit agency identified during investigations related to the PFICP scandal. Previously, the ICPC had flagged two other dubious organizations: the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership.
The continuing efforts by authorities to scrutinize and dismantle unauthorized organizations operating within or alongside government structures are intensifying. Concurrently, the House of Representatives has initiated its own investigation into the PFICP issue, with top officials, including the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Accountant-General of the Federation, providing testimony to legislators. The ICPC remains committed to thoroughly investigating this case along with other alleged bogus agencies, with ongoing probes subject to due process outcomes.
