We may soon have fake states, governors, assemblies – Ya’u, Muhammad, others on fictitious agencies
The discovery of a second alleged fake government agency operating from within Nigeria’s federal government structure has sparked fresh concerns about the country’s system of oversight and accountability. The latest case involves the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, which the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) said was…
A second alleged fake government agency operating within Nigeria's federal government structure has raised concerns about oversight and accountability. The National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, based in Abuja, was discovered by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
ICPC Chairman Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu claimed the organization was promoted by George Buchi Nwabueze, who used various name variations. President Bola Tinubu ordered Nwabueze's arrest and the suspension of three permanent secretaries in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
The discovery comes after the alleged discrediting of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) in 2020. The PFIPC, which operated from the Federal Secretariat for two years, was later disowned by the Presidency as fraudulent. Governance expert Dr Joe Abah warned that the issue could be wider than these two cases, as many organizations with government-sounding names, logos, and SGF addresses could potentially raise funds.
Professor Murtala Muhammad, Vice-President of the Nigerian Political Science Association, described the problem as a "fundamentally a governance and institutional failure" rather than merely individual criminality. He attributed the issue to weak rules, verification mechanisms, enforcement, and oversight, leading to private actors appropriating the authority and legitimacy of the state.
Muhammad emphasized the need for stronger verification of government agencies, appointments, better information sharing, and tighter budgetary controls.
Former Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, called for a wider investigation, particularly over reports of coordinators in 20 states, representatives in China and the United States, and the question of who appointed these individuals. The promoter of the Made-in-Nigeria project, George Buchi Nwabueze, denied the allegations, stating that the initiative was an approved public-private project based on Executive Orders 003 of 2017 and 005 of 2018.
The controversy could have political consequences for Tinubu's administration ahead of the 2027 elections.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Post Nigeria's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
