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) and submit its findings within 30 days.
The directive was contained in a State House statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the investigation follows the discovery that the PFIPC “was never established by the Federal Government of Nigeria and has no basis in any law, presidential instrument, executive approval, or other lawful act of Government.”
The Presidency said one Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew presented himself as the Director-General of the organisation and “falsely claimed to be a presidential appointee.”
The statement said the President directed the ICPC to investigate the alleged forgery of appointment letters and other government documents, the use of a false claim 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.
According to the Presidency, the investigation will also cover “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.”
Tinubu also directed the Commission to examine the circumstances that may have allowed the organisation and the alleged false claim of presidential appointment to appear legitimate.
In addition, the ICPC is to identify weaknesses in government and institutional procedures that may have been exploited and recommend measures to prevent similar occurrences.
The statement said all ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government have been directed to provide the Commission, upon lawful request, with all relevant information, records and assistance required to complete the investigation.
Tinubu said, “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.”
He also directed that “all persons found culpable be treated strictly in accordance with applicable law.”
Cc: Nigerian Tribune