President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and the suspension of three permanent secretaries following the discovery of another fictitious office operating within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).

The latest development was disclosed on Friday by the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr Musa Aliyu, SAN, after he briefed President Tinubu on the commission’s ongoing investigation into fake government agencies.

The suspended permanent secretaries are M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah.

According to Aliyu, the newly uncovered entity, known as the National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, had been allocated office space within the OSGF premises despite having no lawful basis or presidential approval.

He said the discovery was made during the broader investigation ordered by the President following the earlier exposure of the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has uncovered another fake agency and office operating under the name National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, which has been illegally allocated office space within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” Aliyu said.

The ICPC chairman identified Nwabueze as the promoter of the entity and said investigators found that he operated under several variations of his name.

According to him, the aliases include George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Honourable George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze.

Aliyu further disclosed that the investigation had uncovered suspected collaborators within the OSGF who allegedly facilitated the activities of the purported agency.

He said the organisation was operating contrary to existing public service regulations and without authorisation from the President.

“I have briefed Mr President comprehensively on these new developments. ICPC will continue with its investigations accordingly,” Aliyu said.

Following the briefing, Tinubu directed the immediate arrest of Nwabueze and the suspension of the three permanent secretaries pending further investigation.

The latest revelation adds another layer to an unfolding scandal involving fictitious government institutions allegedly operating under the guise of legitimate federal agencies.

The controversy began with the exposure of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, a body that investigators said did not exist within the Nigerian government structure.

Its self-styled Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, is currently facing prosecution over allegations bordering on forgery and impersonation.

An interim ICPC report submitted to Tinubu on August 6, following a 30-day investigation, had also identified two other purported government bodies — the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership.

The commission’s latest findings suggest that the investigation is still uncovering additional entities and alleged collaborators operating within or around government institutions.