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President Bola Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to conclude, within 30 days, a comprehensive investigation into the activities of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and those linked to its operations.
The directive followed the discovery that the purported PFIPC was never established by the Federal Government and has no legal backing, presidential approval, executive instrument or any other lawful authority.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said one Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew falsely presented himself as the Director-General of the non-existent council and claimed to be a presidential appointee.
According to the statement, the ICPC has been mandated to investigate allegations bordering on the forgery of appointment letters and other official government documents, as well as the use of the false presidential appointment claim to obtain official recognition, diplomatic support and visa facilitation.
The anti-graft agency is also expected to probe the alleged opening and operation of multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies using forged documents.
President Tinubu directed the ICPC to widen its investigation beyond the principal suspect to include all collaborators and any individual or organisation that may have aided the scheme.
The investigation will also examine how the fictitious body acquired an appearance of official legitimacy, the origin and use of forged government documents, the processes through which official recognition may have been sought, the operation of related bank accounts, and the source and movement of funds linked to the alleged activities.
The commission is further expected to determine whether any public officers, private individuals, financial institutions or intermediaries played roles in facilitating or enabling the alleged fraud.
The President also instructed the ICPC to identify weaknesses in government procedures and institutional safeguards that may have been exploited, and to recommend immediate measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
To facilitate the probe, all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government have been directed to provide the commission with all relevant information, records and necessary assistance upon lawful request.
Tinubu stressed that the integrity of the Presidency and the institutions of the Federal Government must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity and other fraudulent acts capable of undermining public confidence.
He further directed that anyone found culpable at the conclusion of the investigation should be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.
