President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate a fictitious body operating as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), giving the anti-graft agency 30 days to unravel the alleged fraud and submit a comprehensive report.

The directive was conveyed on Tuesday in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said the PFIPC was never established by the Federal Government and has no legal, constitutional or executive foundation.
According to Onanuga, the investigation followed the discovery that one Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew allegedly masqueraded as the Director-General of the non-existent council and falsely claimed to be a presidential appointee.

The presidential spokesman said Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate the alleged use of forged appointment letters and other official government documents, as well as claims that the fake presidential appointment was used to seek official recognition, diplomatic support, including visa facilitation, and to open multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies.

Beyond the principal suspect, the President instructed the Commission to identify and investigate all collaborators and determine how the fictitious organisation was able to acquire an appearance of official legitimacy.

The probe, Onanuga said, will examine the origin and use of forged official documents, the processes through which official recognition or diplomatic support may have been sought or obtained, the opening and operation of related bank accounts, the source and movement of funds, and the role of any public official, financial institution, intermediary or private individual that may have facilitated or participated in the alleged scheme.

Tinubu also directed the Commission to identify institutional and procedural loopholes that may have been exploited and recommend immediate reforms to prevent a recurrence.

To ensure a speedy investigation, all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have been instructed to provide the ICPC, upon lawful request, with all relevant records, documents and other assistance required to conclude the probe within the stipulated period.

Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to safeguarding the integrity of public institutions, the President stressed that the Presidency and institutions of the Federal Government must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity and the exploitation of weaknesses in the public service.

He further directed that anyone found culpable at the conclusion of the investigation should be prosecuted in accordance with the law.