Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate suspension of three Permanent Secretaries and the arrest of George Buchi Nwabueze following the discovery of yet another fake government agency operating illegally within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Abuja. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission uncovered the fraudulent entity, identified as the "National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office," which had been allocated office space within the OSGF without presidential authorisation and in flagrant violation of existing regulations. ICPC Chairman Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, disclosed the development on Friday, August 21, 2026, while briefing State House correspondents after his second meeting with the President in two days, revealing that the fake agency was promoted by Nwabueze with the suspected active collaboration of senior public servants within the OSGF.
The suspended Permanent Secretaries are M.S. Danjuma, Engineer Nadungu Gagare, and Richard P. Pheelangwah, all of whom are now under investigation for their alleged roles in facilitating the illegal operation. According to Aliyu, the fake agency had been operating under the radar, with Nwabueze using multiple aliases to perpetuate the fraud, including George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Honourable George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze, and George Nwabueze. "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 declared.
This latest discovery follows closely on the heels of the exposure of the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, a scandal that had already sent shockwaves through the presidency and led to the prosecution of its self-styled Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, on charges of forgery and impersonation. The ICPC's interim report, submitted to President Tinubu on August 6 after a 30-day investigation, had already identified two other fictitious bodies: the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership. The uncovering of the National Brands Development office now brings the total number of fake entities discovered within government circles to four, raising serious questions about the integrity of the public service and the effectiveness of oversight mechanisms.
The ICPC chairman explained that the commission had engaged officials of the OSGF to obtain vital information concerning the fake office before updating the President on the latest findings. "I have briefed Mr President comprehensively on these new developments. ICPC will continue with its investigations accordingly," Aliyu said. Following the briefing, President Tinubu issued immediate directives: the arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and the suspension of the three Permanent Secretaries. The President also ordered a wider policy audit of federal ministries, departments and agencies and internal government processes, a move Aliyu described as proactive and commendable. "President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must be commended for the proactive step of directing the policy audit of MDAs and internal government processes towards strengthening government governance system," he said.
The revelation that a fake agency could secure office accommodation within the OSGF, one of the most secure and prestigious government establishments in the country, without presidential approval or proper scrutiny has exposed gaping holes in Nigeria's public service architecture. How an individual could establish a purported government agency, secure office space within the SGF's complex, and operate with impunity while senior public servants allegedly looked the other way is a question that demands urgent answers. The ICPC's investigation is now expected to examine broader institutional weaknesses that may have enabled unauthorised entities to gain access to Federal Government facilities and present themselves as legitimate government bodies. The commission is also expected to establish the full extent of the alleged activities and identify all individuals involved, including any other public officials who may have facilitated the operations of the fake agency.
The suspended Permanent Secretaries, whose roles in the scandal remain unclear, are now at the centre of an investigation that could have far-reaching implications for the civil service. Their suspension, while a necessary first step, is not a conviction, and they are entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. However, the mere fact that they were suspended indicates the gravity of the allegations and the President's determination to send a strong message that corruption and complicity in fraudulent activities will not be tolerated. For Nwabueze, the promoter of the fake agency, the President's order for his immediate arrest means he now faces the full weight of the law, with charges of forgery, impersonation, and fraud likely to be preferred against him.
The uncovering of multiple fake agencies within the SGF's office is a damning indictment of the state of governance in Nigeria and raises fundamental questions about the effectiveness of the anti-corruption agencies themselves. If the ICPC, which is tasked with investigating and prosecuting corruption, had to uncover these agencies through its own investigations, what does that say about the internal controls and oversight mechanisms that should have prevented their existence in the first place? The answer, it seems, is that those mechanisms are either weak, compromised, or non-existent. The President's directive for a wider policy audit of MDAs and government processes is a step in the right direction, but it must be followed by concrete actions to strengthen institutional oversight, improve transparency, and hold accountable those who have facilitated or turned a blind eye to these fraudulent activities.
As the ICPC continues its investigations, the Nigerian public watches with a mixture of hope and skepticism. Hope that the President's zero-tolerance stance on corruption will lead to meaningful change, and skepticism born of years of unfulfilled promises and impunity for the powerful. The uncovering of the fake agencies within the SGF's office is a scandal that has the potential to redefine the fight against corruption in Nigeria, but only if it is followed by decisive action and a genuine commitment to reform. For now, the suspended Permanent Secretaries and the arrested promoter of the fake agency are the faces of a system that has failed, and the question on everyone's lips is: who else is complicit, and when will they be held accountable?
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments