President Bola Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the activities of a fictitious body known as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and all matters connected with its operations.
The President also ordered the anti-corruption agency to conclude the investigation within 30 days and submit a comprehensive report to him.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the directive followed the discovery that the PFIPC was never established by the Federal Government and has no legal backing through any law, presidential directive, executive approval or other lawful government instrument.
The statement identified one Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew as the individual who allegedly presented himself as the Director-General of the non-existent council and falsely claimed to be a presidential appointee.
President Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate the alleged forgery of appointment letters and other official government documents, as well as the use of the purported presidential appointment to seek official recognition and diplomatic support, including visa facilitation.
The probe will also cover the alleged opening of multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies using forged documents.
The President further instructed the Commission to investigate not only the activities of the principal suspect and his collaborators but also the circumstances that enabled the fictitious organisation and false claims of presidential appointment to gain an appearance of legitimacy.
The investigation will examine the origin and use of the alleged forged official documents, the processes through which official recognition or diplomatic support may have been sought or obtained, the opening and operation of related bank accounts, the source and movement of funds, and the involvement of any public officials, private individuals, financial institutions or intermediaries linked to the alleged scheme.
Tinubu also tasked the ICPC with identifying weaknesses in government and institutional procedures that may have been exploited and recommending measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
To facilitate the investigation, the President directed all ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government to provide the ICPC with all relevant records, information and assistance required for the speedy completion of the exercise.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to accountability, Tinubu stressed that the integrity of the Presidency and federal institutions must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity and exploitation of public institutions.
He further directed that anyone found culpable at the end of the investigation should be dealt with in accordance with the law.
