President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and the suspension of three permanent secretaries following the discovery of an alleged fake government office operating within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
The development was disclosed on Friday by the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr Musa Aliyu, SAN, after briefing President Tinubu on the commission’s ongoing investigation into fictitious government agencies and administrative weaknesses within the public service.
The suspended permanent secretaries are M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah.
According to Aliyu, the ICPC uncovered an office operating under the name National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, which had allegedly been allocated space within the OSGF without presidential authorisation and contrary to existing regulations.
The ICPC chairman said investigations identified Nwabueze as the promoter of the purported office and revealed that he allegedly operated under several variations of his name, including George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Honourable George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze.
Aliyu further disclosed that the commission had identified suspected collaborators within the OSGF and was engaging the office to obtain relevant documents and information concerning the activities of the purported agency.
He said the latest discovery formed part of a broader investigation into fictitious government bodies, following the exposure of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
The earlier investigation had resulted in the prosecution of its self-styled Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, over allegations bordering on forgery and impersonation.
An interim ICPC report submitted to President Tinubu on August 6, after a 30-day investigation, had also identified two other purportedly fictitious bodies — the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership.
Following the latest briefing, Aliyu said the President directed the immediate arrest of Nwabueze and the suspension of the three permanent secretaries pending further investigation.
The ICPC chairman assured that the commission would continue its investigation into the alleged fake office and other related activities within the public service.
