Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has alleged that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has uncovered more organisations allegedly operating without the required presidential authorisation under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Dalung made the claim in a post on his Facebook page, saying the development goes beyond the previously reported controversy surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) involving Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew .
ICPC Confirms Discovery of New Fake Agency
According to Dalung, the ICPC has reportedly uncovered another organisation known as the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, which he said was allegedly operating without the necessary presidential authorisation .
The ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, confirmed the discovery while briefing State House correspondents after a meeting with President Tinubu on Friday. Aliyu said the new fake agency was discovered as part of the ongoing investigation into the PFIPC .
He said the agency had been illegally allocated office space within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) .
Presidential Orders and Additional Allegations
Dalung further alleged that President Tinubu ordered the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze, who was allegedly involved in promoting the organisation . The ICPC chairman confirmed this, stating that Nwabueze allegedly operated under several variations of his name, including George Nathan Nwabueze, Honourable George Buchi Nwabueze, and Prince George Buchi Nwabueze .
The President also ordered the immediate suspension of three Permanent Secretaries — M.S. Danjuma, Engr. Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah — over the matter .
Dalung said another organisation, identified as the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership, had also surfaced in connection with the wider ICPC investigation and was allegedly another fictitious or unauthorised government organisation .
Broader Questions About Governance and Government Response
The allegations, if established, could raise broader questions about administrative oversight and the mechanisms for authorising and monitoring government agencies and offices.
Dalung questioned how an organisation allegedly lacking presidential authorisation could operate close to the centre of government, particularly from within the Office of the SGF .
He also raised questions about how such an organisation could allegedly gain access, recognition and institutional presence without being detected earlier .
The former minister argued that the issue should not end with the identification or arrest of individuals allegedly behind the organisations. Instead, he said the investigation should establish how the alleged organisations were able to operate within the government system and whether other officials or institutions facilitated their activities .
The Federal Government has taken the matter seriously. On Wednesday, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) ordered a forensic audit of Ministries, Departments and Agencies aimed at plugging loopholes and preventing a recurrence .
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, disclosed that the President had specifically ordered the review to extend to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), warning that fake agencies likely mean fake employees somewhere within the federal payroll .
Expert Reactions and Verification Status
Muktar Modibbo, Secretary General of Follow the Money International, said the discovery of another alleged fake agency showed that the problem went beyond the existence of fictitious government bodies. He said the development pointed to weaknesses in Nigeria’s governance systems, particularly the absence of effective checks and balances .
Dr Umar Yakubu, Executive Director of the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Integrity, said the discovery was a welcome development but raised questions about the effectiveness of existing accountability mechanisms .
The Credibility News could not independently verify all the claims contained in Dalung’s Facebook post at the time of publication. However, ICPC Chairman Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu has publicly confirmed the discovery of the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office and the presidential directives .
The allegations against the individuals and organisations mentioned remain unproven unless established by the relevant authorities.
The Credibility News will continue to monitor the ICPC investigation and report verified developments.
