President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the activities of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), giving the anti-graft agency 30 days to conclude its probe and submit a detailed report.
The directive was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, following the discovery that the PFIPC was never created by the Federal Government.
According to the Presidency, the organisation has no legal foundation and was not established through any law, presidential instrument, executive approval or any other lawful government process.
The statement alleged that one Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew falsely presented himself as the Director-General of the organisation while claiming to be a presidential appointee.
Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate allegations surrounding forged appointment letters and other government documents allegedly used to project the organisation as an official federal institution.
The Commission is also expected to examine claims that the false presidential appointment was used to obtain official recognition, diplomatic support and visa facilitation from government institutions and foreign missions.
In addition, investigators have been tasked with probing the opening and operation of multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies using allegedly forged official documents.
According to the Presidency, the investigation will also determine the origin and use of the fake government documents, the processes through which official recognition or diplomatic support may have been sought or obtained, the source and movement of funds connected to the alleged scheme, and the roles played by any public official, private individual, financial institution, intermediary or organisation that may have facilitated the operation.
The President further instructed the anti-corruption agency to investigate the circumstances that enabled the alleged fake organisation and its claims of presidential backing to appear legitimate.
The ICPC is also expected to identify weaknesses in government and institutional procedures that may have been exploited and recommend reforms to prevent similar incidents in the future.
To ensure a thorough investigation, Tinubu directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government to provide the Commission with all relevant records, documents and assistance required upon lawful request.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to accountability, the President stressed that the integrity of the Presidency and federal institutions must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity and exploitation of weaknesses within the public service.
Tinubu also ordered that every person found culpable at the conclusion of the investigation should face prosecution in accordance with the provisions of the law. Franktalknow.
