President Tinubu has ordered for ICPC probe into fake presidential council.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that President Bola Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to launch a full-scale investigation into the activities of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), describing the body as fictitious.
The directive was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, President Tinubu ordered the anti-corruption agency to conclude its investigation and submit a comprehensive report within 30 days.
The Presidency said the investigation followed the discovery that the so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council was never created by the Federal Government and has no legal backing, presidential approval, executive instrument, or any other lawful basis for its existence.
The statement identified one Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew as the individual who allegedly presented himself as the Director-General of the fake council and falsely 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 a false claim 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 investigate the roles of other collaborators and examine how the fictitious organisation was able to acquire an appearance of official legitimacy.
According to the Presidency, the probe will cover the origin and use of forged government documents, the process through which official recognition or diplomatic support may have been sought or obtained, the opening and operation of related bank accounts, the source and movement of funds, and the involvement of any public officials, private individuals, financial institutions, intermediaries, or other entities that may have facilitated the alleged scheme.
The President further directed the ICPC to identify weaknesses in government procedures that may have been exploited and recommend immediate measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
All ministries, departments, and agencies of the Federal Government have also been instructed to provide the commission with all relevant records, information, and assistance required for the timely completion of the investigation.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to accountability, President Tinubu stressed that the integrity of the Presidency and federal institutions must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity, and other fraudulent practices. He also ordered that anyone found culpable should face the full weight of the law.
