President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the activities of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), describing the body as a fictitious organisation that was never established by the Federal Government.
The President also ordered the anti-corruption agency to conclude its investigation within 30 days and submit a comprehensive report to him.
According to a State House statement issued on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the directive followed the discovery that the PFIPC has no legal basis and was never created through any law, presidential instrument, executive approval or other lawful government process.
The statement alleged that one Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew falsely presented himself as the Director-General of the so-called council and claimed to be a presidential appointee.
Among the issues the ICPC has been directed to investigate are the alleged forgery of appointment letters and other official government documents, the use of false claims of presidential appointment to obtain official recognition and diplomatic support, including visa facilitation, and 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 its investigation beyond the principal suspect and his alleged collaborators to determine how the fictitious organisation was able to project an appearance of legitimacy.
The investigation, according to the statement, will examine the origin and use of forged government 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 movement of any funds involved, and the roles played by any public officials, private individuals, financial institutions or intermediaries connected with the alleged scheme.
The President further directed the ICPC to identify any weaknesses in government procedures that may have been exploited and recommend immediate measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
All ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government have also been instructed to cooperate fully with the commission by providing all relevant records, information and assistance required for the investigation.
Explaining the rationale behind the directive, the statement quoted the President as saying, “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.”
President Tinubu also stressed that those found culpable should face the full weight of the law.
The statement added, “The President directed that all persons found culpable be treated strictly in accordance with applicable law.”
The directive comes amid growing scrutiny surrounding the activities of the purported PFIPC, whose existence has recently been disowned by relevant government authorities.
