President Bola Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to carry out a full investigation into the activities of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and every issue connected to it.
The President ordered the anti-corruption agency to conclude the investigation and submit its findings within 30 days.
The directive was announced on Tuesday, July 7, in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to Onanuga, the investigation followed the discovery that the PFIPC is a fictitious organisation that was never created by the Federal Government and has no legal backing, presidential approval, executive instrument or any lawful basis for existence.
“One Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew presented himself as the Director-General of the so-called PFIPC and falsely claimed to be a presidential appointee.
“Among the issues to be investigated by the ICPC are the forged appointment letters and other official government documents; the use of a false claim of presidential appointment to seek or 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,” the statement said.
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Onanuga said the President instructed the commission to investigate not only the activities of the principal suspect and his alleged collaborators but also how a non-existent organisation was able to appear legitimate and gain official recognition.
According to the statement, investigators will examine the origin and use of the alleged forged documents, the circumstances under which official recognition or diplomatic assistance may have been obtained, the opening and operation of bank accounts linked to the council, the movement and source of any funds involved, and the role of any public officials, private individuals, financial institutions or intermediaries connected to the alleged scheme.
The President also directed the ICPC to identify any gaps in government procedures that may have been exploited and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
To support the investigation, all ministries, departments and agencies have been instructed to provide the commission with relevant records, information and other assistance whenever lawfully requested.
President Tinubu, according to Onanuga, said the integrity of the Presidency and other federal institutions must be protected from impersonation, document forgery, abuse of official identity and any attempt to exploit weaknesses within the public service.
He also directed that anyone found culpable at the end of the investigation should face the full weight of the law.