President Bola Tinubu has ordered the suspension of three permanent secretaries and the arrest of George Buchi Nwabueze after the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission uncovered what it described as another unauthorised federal agency. The organisation allegedly operated from a government building, appointed coordinators in at least 20 states and maintained representatives in China and the United States.
The suspended permanent secretaries were identified as M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah.
Their suspension is an administrative measure while investigations continue. It does not establish that any of the officials committed an offence.
The President also directed security agencies to arrest Nwabueze, who was presented publicly as the national coordinator and executive director of the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office.
The order for his arrest was announced by ICPC chairman Dr Musa Aliyu after he briefed Tinubu on the commission’s findings. It was not immediately clear whether Nwabueze had been taken into custody.
No response from Nwabueze or the suspended permanent secretaries was included in the reports reviewed by New Daily Prime.
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Alleged fake agency operated from SGF’s office
According to the ICPC, the organisation operated from office space at Shagari House within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Abuja.
Aliyu said the office was allocated without presidential approval and contrary to existing laws.
The commission is now investigating how the organisation obtained space inside a federal government building and whether officials helped it operate.
“The promoter was discovered to also operate under four other variations of his name,” Aliyu said.
The ICPC listed the variations as George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Honourable George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze.
Using different versions of a name is not automatically a criminal offence. However, investigators are examining whether the names were used to misrepresent the organisation or its relationship with the Federal Government.
The commission said suspected collaborators within the OSGF were involved, but it has not published a complete list or disclosed the evidence against each individual.
Organisation established network across Nigeria
Before the investigation became public, the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office presented itself as an official government initiative supporting local production and exports.
It claimed to operate under the OSGF and described its work as part of the Tinubu administration’s “Nigeria First” policy.
The organisation reportedly appointed coordinators in at least 20 states and established representatives in China and the United States. It also operated a website, social-media accounts and an administrative structure that appeared to give it federal backing.
Nwabueze was promoted as a lawyer, international trade specialist, business executive and national coordinator of the programme.
The organisation said it wanted to move Nigeria from an import-dependent economy towards local production. Its advertised activities included trade exhibitions, business summits, product certification, investment promotion and support for small businesses.
It also promoted projects such as “Industrialise Nigeria: Locally Made for Global Access” and “One Local Government, One Factory, One Product”.
The office claimed one of its campaigns could attract more than ₦50bn to the Nigerian economy. It also publicised activities connected to product exhibitions and investment meetings in China and Hong Kong.
The ICPC has now said that the office did not have the President’s authorisation to operate as a federal agency.
ICPC investigation widens
The latest discovery grew out of an investigation into the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, another organisation that allegedly presented itself as a government body.
Adeniyi Adeyemi, who described himself as the council’s director-general, is facing prosecution over allegations of forgery and impersonation. The charges remain allegations until determined by a court.
An interim ICPC report submitted to Tinubu on August 6 also identified two other allegedly unauthorised organisations: the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership.
The National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office is therefore the fourth organisation described as a fake agency since the investigation began in April.
Aliyu said the commission had contacted the OSGF to obtain records about the latest office, including how it secured government accommodation and who approved its activities.
He added that the ICPC would continue its investigation after giving the President a detailed briefing.
The case raises questions about internal checks across government offices. Investigators will need to establish how an allegedly unauthorised organisation gained access to official premises, created a national network and carried out public activities under the appearance of federal authority.
