By Augustine Ehikioya
After its investigation, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has recommended the prosecution of Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, the alleged mastermind behind the fake Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, PFIPC.
It claimed that Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew forged presidential documents and illegally occupied government property.
This was disclosed on Thursday by ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu, while presenting an interim investigative report to President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The investigation was ordered by President Tinubu on July 7 and was to be completed within 30 days.
Briefing State House correspondents later, Aliyu said the commission established that Adeyemi was never appointed by the Federal Government and that the PFIPC had no legal backing.
“It has been established that Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew was never appointed by the Federal Government or any authority whatsoever.
“The Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council… was never established by any law, executive order or any valid instrument of government,” he said.
According to him, the appointment letter and a purported government gazette used to legitimise the agency were “completely forged” and “an illegal document that never passed through the processes prescribed by law.”
The ICPC chairman said Adeyemi allegedly broke into the former offices of the defunct Presidential Economic Advisory Council, PEAC, to create the impression of legitimacy.
“Our investigation found that the office used by the fake agency was the office of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council. The office was broken into and access was gained illegally,” Aliyu stated.
In a further discovery, he said the suspect created two additional fictitious agencies, including FCT Investment Promotion Agency, FIPA, and Foreign Investment Promotion Agency/Public-Private Partnership, FIPA-PPP.
“To facilitate the creation of these agencies, he used fake legislative instruments styled as enabling Acts and relied on them to open bank accounts,” Aliyu said.
He added that two commercial bank accounts were opened to support the activities.
Despite the scheme, the ICPC said no federal funds were approved or disbursed to the fake council.
It also found “no weaknesses in the systems of the State House or the Central Bank of Nigeria” and that “the fake appointment letter did not originate from the Presidency.”
However, the commission indicted several MDAs for “institutional lapses” and failure of due diligence that enabled the fraud.
Agencies cited include: the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Office of the Head of the Civil Service, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Budget Office, and NITDA.
“Our investigation found that some public officers failed to carry out due diligence and failed to comply with standard operating procedures… That gave him the opportunity to carry out these illegal acts,” Aliyu said.
The interim report recommended: Immediate prosecution of Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, administrative sanctions for negligent public officers and institutional reforms to strengthen internal controls across MDAs
Aliyu confirmed that Adeyemi had been interrogated and had made statements to the commission.
“Yes, we interacted with Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew. He is among the persons we have interviewed and from whom we obtained statements.”
He declined to comment on allegations involving about ₦400 million, saying it was part of the ongoing criminal investigation.
“Once we conclude everything and proceed to court, Nigerians will see what our investigation uncovered.”
The ICPC chairman said the investigation into collaborators is ongoing to “file criminal charges that will stand the test of time before a court of competent jurisdiction.”
President Tinubu had directed the ICPC to make its findings public “in the spirit of transparency and accountability,” Aliyu added.
