ICPC Submits Interim Report on ‘Phantom’ Council, Recommends Prosecution of Alleged Fake DG

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has submitted an interim report to President Bola Tinubu on its investigation into the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), declaring that the body was never established by the Federal Government.

Speaking to State House correspondents after presenting the report on Thursday, ICPC Chairman, Musa Adamu Aliyu, said investigations confirmed that Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew was never appointed by the Presidency or any government authority.

According to Aliyu, the commission established that the PFIPC was not created by any law, executive order or official government instrument. He added that the appointment letter presented by Adeyemi was forged, along with other documents allegedly used to operate the fake agency.

The ICPC boss disclosed that Adeyemi allegedly exploited the defunct Presidential Economic Advisory Council by creating a fictitious agency and unlawfully occupying its office after reportedly breaking into the premises.

He further revealed that investigators identified weaknesses in government verification processes and inter-agency oversight, which were allegedly exploited to facilitate the operation of the fake council.

Aliyu, however, clarified that no Federal Government funds were approved or disbursed to the purported council during its operations.

The investigation also uncovered two additional fictitious agencies allegedly created by Adeyemi: the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public Private Partnership.

According to the ICPC, forged legislative documents purportedly establishing the agencies were used to open two commercial bank accounts, which were allegedly utilised for the illegal activities.

Based on its findings, the commission recommended the prosecution of Adeyemi for alleged forgery and related offences. It also called for administrative sanctions against public officers whose negligence allegedly enabled the operation of the fake agencies.

The anti-corruption agency further recommended institutional reforms to strengthen internal controls and verification procedures across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to prevent similar incidents in the future.

President Bola Tinubu had on July 7 directed the ICPC to investigate the controversy surrounding the PFIPC and submit its findings within 30 days. The commission’s report is an interim submission, with further investigations expected to continue.