The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has uncovered two additional fake government agencies allegedly linked to Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, the self-proclaimed Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, disclosed this on Thursday after presenting the commission’s interim investigation report to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The two fictitious agencies are the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency.
Aliyu said investigators found that the agencies were created using forged legislative instruments and were allegedly used to open bank accounts for illegal activities.
He also disclosed that Adeyemi was never appointed by the Federal Government and that the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council had no legal backing, as it was neither established by an Act of the National Assembly nor an executive order.
According to the ICPC chairman, Adeyemi allegedly used a forged appointment letter and unlawfully took over offices and official instruments previously used by the defunct Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
He said investigators found that the syndicate operated from the former PEAC office and engaged in impersonation and false representation by exploiting gaps in government verification procedures.
Aliyu said Adeyemi later changed the name of the organisation from the Foreign Investment Promotion Council to the Foreign Intervention Promotion Council in an attempt to expand its activities to revenue generation.
The ICPC said its interim findings showed that no government funds were approved or released for the fake organisation.
The commission recommended the prosecution of Adeyemi, disciplinary action against public officials allegedly involved in the scheme and reforms to strengthen internal controls across government institutions.
Officials from several government agencies, including the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Budget Office and NITDA, were identified for further investigation over their alleged roles.
Aliyu stressed that the investigation remains ongoing, saying the commission was working to uncover more details and establish possible criminal charges against Adeyemi and his alleged collaborators.
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