President Bola Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to investigate the activities of a fictitious body known as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC.
The directive was contained in a Statement issued on Tuesday by the his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, following the discovery of the fictitious PFIPC which was never established by the Federal Government of Nigeria and has no basis in law, presidential instrument, executive approval, or other lawful act of Government
The statement disclosed that one Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew allegedly presented himself as the Director-General of the so-called PFIPC and falsely claimed to be a Presidential Appointee.
President Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate the alleged forgery of appointment letters and other government documents, the use of false claims of presidential appointment to obtain official recognition and diplomatic support, including visa facilitation, as well as the opening of multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies using allegedly forged documents.
The investigation will also examine the activities of other collaborators and determine how the fictitious organisation gained an appearance of official legitimacy.
It will further cover the origin and use of forged official documents, the processes through which official recognition may have been sought, the opening and operation of related bank accounts, the movement of funds, and the involvement of any public officials, private individuals, financial institutions or intermediaries linked to the alleged scheme.
The President also instructed the ICPC to identify weaknesses in government procedures that may have been exploited and recommend immediate measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
“To ensure a thorough investigation, all Ministries, Departments and Agencies MDAs of the Federal Government have been directed to provide the ICPC with all relevant information, records and necessary assistance upon lawful request.”
President Tinubu reaffirmed that the integrity of the Presidency and federal institutions must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity and other fraudulent activities.
He further directed that anyone found culpable at the end of the investigation should face the full weight of the law.