President Tinubu has suspended three Permanent Secretaries over ‘fake’ agency in SGF office.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate suspension of three permanent secretaries following the discovery of an alleged fraudulent agency operating within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Dr Musa Aliyu, SAN, disclosed this on Friday after briefing the President at the State House in Abuja.
The suspended officials were identified as M.S. Danjuma, Engineer Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah.
Aliyu said the unauthorised organisation operated under the name “National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office.”
He identified Prince George Buchi Nwabueze as the alleged promoter of the office and said investigators discovered that it had been allocated official space within the SGF’s premises.
“In relation to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and procedural weaknesses in the public service, the ICPC has uncovered another fake agency or office operating under the name National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office,” Aliyu said.
He added that the office “had been illegally allocated office space within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.”
The ICPC chairman alleged that the promoter operated under several variations of his name, including George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Hon. George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze.
Aliyu said the anti-graft agency had engaged officials of the SGF’s office to obtain information about the alleged organisation and how it secured government facilities.
“I have briefed Mr President comprehensively on these new developments and findings,” he stated.
According to him, Tinubu also ordered Nwabueze’s immediate arrest.
The ICPC chairman said investigations into the alleged fraudulent activities remained active under the President’s direction.
The latest discovery followed the commission’s investigation into the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and alleged procedural weaknesses within the public service.
