By CHARLES CHIJIOKE
ABUJA – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to launch a comprehensive investigation into the activities of the purported “Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council” (PFIPC), declaring that the body was never created or recognised by the Federal Government.
Afrilensnews reports that the President ordered the anti-graft agency to conclude the investigation within 30 days and submit a detailed report to him.
The directive followed the discovery that the PFIPC was a fictitious organisation with no legal backing, presidential approval, executive instrument or any lawful basis for its existence.
According to a State House statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, one Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew allegedly paraded himself as the Director-General of the fake council while falsely claiming to be a presidential appointee.
The statement said the ICPC would investigate the alleged forgery of appointment letters and other official government documents, the use of the false presidential appointment to obtain official recognition and diplomatic support, including visa facilitation, as well as the opening of multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies using allegedly forged documents.
President Tinubu also instructed the commission to widen the scope of the investigation beyond the principal suspect and his collaborators to uncover how the fictitious body was able to gain an appearance of legitimacy.
The investigation, according to the President’s directive, will examine the origin and use of forged official documents, the procedures through which official recognition or diplomatic support may have been sought or obtained, the establishment and operation of related bank accounts, the source and movement of funds linked to the alleged scheme, and the involvement of any public official, private individual, financial institution or intermediary that may have facilitated the operation.
The President further directed the ICPC to identify loopholes within government institutions that may have been exploited and recommend urgent reforms to prevent similar incidents in the future.
To ensure a speedy investigation, all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government have been instructed to provide the ICPC with all relevant documents, records and other necessary assistance whenever lawfully requested.
President Tinubu stressed the need to safeguard the credibility of the Presidency and public institutions.
He stated, “The integrity of the Presidency and the institutions of the Federal Government must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity and the exploitation of weaknesses in the public service.”
The President also directed that “all persons found culpable be treated strictly in accordance with applicable law.”
The investigation could expose a wider network of individuals or institutions involved in the alleged impersonation and document forgery, while also leading to tighter controls over presidential appointments, official documentation, banking procedures for government entities and inter-agency verification processes aimed at preventing future abuse of government identity.
