Tinubu Orders ICPC Probe into Fictitious Agency(PFIPC)Scam

​

​President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has mandated the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to launch an extensive investigation into the operations of the “Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council” (PFIPC). The directive comes as the presidency moves to dismantle a sophisticated fraud scheme centered on the non-existent agency.

​The investigation must be concluded within 30 days, with a comprehensive report submitted to the President.

​The Anatomy of a Fictitious Agency

​The PFIPC, which has no legal foundation, executive approval, or existence under the current administration, was used by an individual named Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew to project an appearance of official government legitimacy. Adeyemi, who operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, allegedly paraded himself as the organization’s Director-General.

​The scope of the probe is broad, targeting not only the primary suspect but also any “internal collaborators” within government institutions who may have enabled the scheme. The ICPC has been tasked with examining:

• ​Forgery and Impersonation: The origin and use of forged appointment letters, falsified presidential signatures, and unauthorized official seals.

• ​Institutional Exploitation: The processes through which the perpetrator successfully secured office space, obtained official recognition, and requested diplomatic support, including visa facilitation.

• ​Financial Irregularities: The establishment and operation of at least 34 bank accounts linked to fictitious government entities—including a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) account opened under the guise of the “Presidential Economic Advisory Council/PFIPC World Investment Summit”—and the movement of funds associated with these accounts.

• ​Systemic Weaknesses: Identifying specific failures in government and institutional procedures that allowed a fraudulent entity to operate for over a year and even appear in budgetary discourse.

​Escalating Tensions

​The controversy has intensified in recent weeks, with the Presidency accusing Adeyemi of running a complex web of deceit. Adeyemi, who was initially arrested in October 2025 and is currently facing an eight-count criminal charge at the Federal High Court in Abuja, continues to maintain his innocence. He has publicly challenged the government’s disclaimers, citing references to the council within the 2026 Appropriation Act.

​The situation reached a breaking point following a series of public confrontations involving Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila. Gbajabiamila, who was the first to publicly label the PFIPC as “fake,” has reportedly threatened a N10 billion defamation suit against Adeyemi over allegations of bribery and murder.

​Government Response

​Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, emphasized that the investigation is a critical step in sanitizing government operations. “The criminal network within the affected institutions must be dismantled,” Ajayi stated, noting that investigators from the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force, and the EFCC are expected to cooperate with the ICPC to uncover how Adeyemi penetrated high-level government offices.

ADVERTISEMENT

​All Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) have been directed to provide the ICPC with all requested records to ensure an expeditious investigation. The President has further ordered that all individuals found culpable—whether public officers, financial intermediaries, or private citizens—be prosecuted in strict accordance with the law.

​Adeyemi is scheduled to appear in court on July 27, 2026, to answer to the charges of forgery, impersonation, and conspiracy.