By Emmanuel Thomas I Tuesday, July 07, 2027
ABUJA — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to launch a full-scale investigation into the activities of a fictitious body masquerading as an official government organ under the name “Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council” (PFIPC).
The President, who gave the anti-graft agency a strict 30-day ultimatum to conclude the probe and submit a comprehensive report, expressed deep concern over the vulnerability of public institutions to sophisticated identity fraud.
The directive follows the shocking discovery that the PFIPC was never established by the Federal Government and completely lacks any legal basis, presidential instrument, or executive approval.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, a principal suspect identified as Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew had been parading himself as the “Director-General” of the non-existent council, falsely claiming to be a presidential appointee.
Investigators will be looking into a web of alleged criminal activities tied to the syndicate. Key areas of the ICPC probe include:
The forgery of presidential appointment letters and official government documents.
The use of fake presidential credentials to illegally seek and obtain official recognition, diplomatic support, and visa facilitations.
The opening of multiple bank accounts under the guise of purported government agencies using forged documentation.
President Tinubu’s directive goes beyond the immediate suspects. The ICPC has been mandated to investigate the wider circumstances and systemic loopholes that allowed a fake organization to successfully mimic official government legitimacy.
”The investigation is to examine the provenance and use of false official documents; the processes through which official recognition or diplomatic support may have been sought or obtained; the opening and operation of any related bank accounts; the source and movement of any funds involved; and the role of any public officer, private individual, financial institution, intermediary or other person or entity that may have facilitated, enabled or participated in the alleged scheme,” the statement read.
Systemic Overhaul
In a bid to prevent future occurrences, the President ordered the ICPC to pinpoint weaknesses within current government and institutional procedures that the syndicate exploited, and to recommend immediate corrective measures.
To ensure a swift investigation, all Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) have been strictly ordered to provide the ICPC with unhindered access to records, information, and any necessary assistance.
Reaffirming his administration’s stance on accountability, President Tinubu emphasized that the integrity of the Presidency and federal institutions must be fiercely protected against impersonation, forgery, and the exploitation of public service gaps.
He vowed that anyone found culpable in the matrix—whether public officials or private individuals—will face the full wrath of the law.
