{
  "id": 3871643,
  "title": "Abati’s Misrepresentations of the ICPC ‘Fake Agency’ Investigation",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/abatis-misrepresentations-of-the-icpc-fake-agency-investigation",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-28T01:57:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "This Day",
    "slug": "this-day",
    "url": "https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/08/28/abatis-misrepresentations-of-the-icpc-fake-agency-investigation/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "This article examines the inaccurate statements made by Dr Rueben Abati in his recent syndicated column about the work of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and its leader, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu. According to the source, Abati made three misleading points about the ICPC's investigation into the PFIPC (Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council) and the subsequent discovery of unauthorized agencies.\n\nFirstly, Abati claimed that it is not the responsibility of the ICPC Chairman to speak on behalf of the President regarding arrest and suspension of Federal Permanent Secretaries (Perm Secs). The source clarifies that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu personally authorized the ICPC Chairman to address the press on the arrests and suspensions, and that the President has the constitutional authority to make such decisions without consulting the Head of Service.\n\nSecondly, Abati questioned why the Head of Service did not query the suspended Perm Secs before their suspension, implying that the ICPC Chairman was the complainant in the matter. However, the source states that the ICPC Chairman was merely briefing the President on the findings of an independent investigation, and was not a complainant in the case. The power to suspend a Permanent Secretary lies solely with the President, as stated in Section 171 of the Nigerian Constitution.\n\nLastly, Abati falsely claimed that the ICPC Chairman was the complainant in the investigation, when in fact, he was merely providing information to the President based on the findings of an objective investigation. The source asserts that Abati's column contains four misleading inaccuracies that call into question the ICPC's work and integrity.",
  "summary": "Right of Reply By SuleimanA. S. Dr Rueben Abati’s “The Menace of Fake Agencies” syndicated column in THISDAY and TheCable this week makes an interesting, but also an alarming reading.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}