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Nigeria President orders arrest over alleged fake federal agency
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has uncovered the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, which it alleges is a fake federal agency operating within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
Following a briefing by the ICPC, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered the arrest of the office's National Coordinator and Executive Director, George Buchi Nwabueze. The President also ordered the immediate suspension of three permanent secretaries: MS Danjumaii, Engr Nandungu Gagare, and Richard Pheelangwa, pending investigations into their alleged collaboration with Nwabueze.
George Nwabueze has denied the allegations, maintaining that the office is a legitimate project entity under the OSGF that has existed for 16 years. To support his claim, Nwabueze shared an appointment letter on LinkedIn, purportedly issued by the OSGF and signed by Permanent Secretary Nadungu Gagare, which details a five-year tenure beginning in July 2025.
The ICPC's discovery was part of a broader investigation into the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), another entity suspected of operating without legal authority. Critics and former civil servants have noted that the incident highlights significant bureaucratic weaknesses in Nigeria's ability to verify official documents and prevent unauthorized entities from accessing government resources and budgets.
Entities
Bola Ahmed Tinubu · George Buchi Nwabueze · Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission · Nigeria · Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 9 SOURCES] The ICPC alleges the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office is a fake federal agency. realnewsmagazine.net · platinumpost.news · theglittersonline.com.ng · www.cknnigeria.com · www.naijanews.com · +4 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] George Nwabueze claims the Made in Nigeria Special Project Office has existed under the OSGF since July 16, 2010. theglittersonline.com.ng · www.naijanews.com · platinumpost.news · www.cknnigeria.com · thenicheng.com · +1 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered the arrest of George Buchi Nwabueze following a briefing by the ICPC. realnewsmagazine.net · thewhistler.ng · dailytrust.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] President Tinubu ordered the immediate suspension of three permanent secretaries: MS Danjumaii, Engr Nandungu Gagare, and Richard Pheelangwa. realnewsmagazine.net · thewhistler.ng · dailytrust.com
- [● 8 SOURCES] Nwabueze shared an appointment letter dated October 3, 2025, signed by Nadungu Gagare to prove his legitimacy. theglittersonline.com.ng · www.naijanews.com · platinumpost.news · www.cknnigeria.com · thenicheng.com · +3 more