FEC Moves to Investigate Fake Government Bodies After ICPC Discovery

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a sweeping forensic probe into government processes and internal controls following the discovery by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) of more fictitious entities in the system.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, on Wednesday after the FEC meeting, who said the investigation would unearth how such bodies were able to operate within the structure of the government.

The review would reveal flaws in current administrative, accounting and governance systems, but would recommend measures to avoid a repeat, Oyedele said.

And the full forensic investigation will know what went wrong, prevent it from happening again and strengthen governance systems,” he said.

Therefore, President Bola Tinubu has directed the Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and other relevant government institutions to collaborate on the review.

The probe would touch on many aspects of government operations and would not be limited to the issue of the contested Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), the minister said.

The review will also examine the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) especially since the proliferation of fictitious agencies could potentially create a loophole for the registration of ghost employees.

Oyedele warned that ghost workers and fake government institutions could undermine efforts to improve the pay of real civil servants by siphoning public funds.

The development follows an investigation into the activities of the PFIPC, a body whose existence and status have been questioned.

Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claimed to be the council’s director-general, made allegations involving the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and a purported ₦27.3 billion take-off grant, prompting a new twist in the controversy.

Adeyemi alleged that Gbajabiamila demanded a 48 per cent share of the grant, and claimed that ₦400 million was allegedly paid to the Chief of Staff through a proxy, while another ₦200 million was allegedly requested to facilitate presidential approvals.

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In a statement on oath, Gbajabiamila has denied the allegations, saying he had no personal, official or professional relationship with Adeyemi.

The Chief of Staff further denied seeking or accepting money, abusing his office or interfering with law enforcement investigations.

He also denied having any connection with the purported death of Babatunde Tanimola, whom Adeyemi described as an intermediary, as well as claims of his involvement in an alleged assassination attempt or interference in investigations by security agencies.

The allegations led to President Tinubu ordering the ICPC to investigate the matter.

The latest decision by the FEC widens the scope of the response, as the government looks to identify and fix systemic weaknesses that could allow for fictitious agencies, personnel or other entities to exist within the public service.