Tinubu suspends 3 permanent secretaries over fake agency discovery, orders arrest of promoter
President Tinubu suspended three permanent secretaries—M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare, and Richard P. Pheelangwah—after ICPC uncovered a fake agency called the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office operating within the Secretary to Government of the Federation's office. The president also ordered the immediate arrest of George Buchi Nwabueze, alleged promoter of the phantom agency who operated under multiple name variations including George Nathan and Prince Geroge Buchi Nwabueze.
ICPC chairman Musa Aliyu disclosed this to State House correspondents this week, noting it emerged from investigations into another fictitious body, the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council. Aliyu confirmed submitting an interim report to Tinubu on August 6, exactly 30 days after the probe was ordered, and said the commission would continue investigations while recommending prosecution of the self-proclaimed Director-General Adeniyi Adeyemi for forgery and impersonation.
This exposes vulnerabilities in government agency verification and highlights ongoing efforts to combat fraud that diverts public resources. With fake agencies potentially siphoning funds meant for national development, what safeguards should citizens demand to prevent such impersonation schemes from recurring?