President Tinubu Orders Immediate Arrest, suspends three perm secs as ICPC uncovers another fake agency in SGF office
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate arrest of George Buchi Nwabueze over the alleged operation of a fake government agency within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
The President also directed the immediate suspension of three permanent secretaries following fresh findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in its investigation into alleged fake government agencies and weaknesses in public service processes.
Musa Aliyu, Chairman of the ICPC, disclosed this on Friday while speaking with State House correspondents after a meeting with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
According to Aliyu, the commission uncovered another alleged fake office operating within the OSGF premises, identified as the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office.
He said the office was allegedly allocated space within the OSGF without presidential authorisation.
Aliyu explained that the discovery was made during the commission’s broader investigation into the activities of the alleged fake Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and other procedural weaknesses within the public service.
He said the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office was promoted by Nwabueze, who allegedly operated under different variations of his name.
The ICPC chairman further alleged that the office operated with the involvement of suspected collaborators within the OSGF.
According to him, the commission engaged officials of the OSGF to obtain relevant information about the office before briefing President Tinubu on its findings.
“Following the briefing, Mr President directed the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze,” Aliyu said.
The ICPC chairman also disclosed that President Tinubu ordered the immediate suspension of three permanent secretaries identified as M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah.
Aliyu said the investigation was still ongoing, adding that further actions could be taken as more facts emerge.
He commended President Tinubu for ordering a forensic audit of government processes, describing the move as a proactive step towards strengthening governance and closing loopholes that could facilitate abuse within the public service.
He said the ongoing investigation would determine the full extent of the alleged activities and identify all individuals involved.
The latest discovery comes as the ICPC intensifies its investigation into alleged unauthorised entities operating within government structures, following the President’s directive to probe the alleged fake PFIPC.