A purported government agency, the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, allegedly operated with a nationwide structure comprising an executive director, zonal directors, 20 state coordinators and representatives in the United States and China.
A check of the organisation’s website on Saturday showed Hon. Nwabueze George listed as its “Executive Director, National Coordinator,” alongside other officials.
The development comes after the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had ordered the immediate arrest of George Nwabueze, identified by the commission as the promoter of the alleged fake office.
Tinubu also ordered the suspension of three Permanent Secretaries — M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah — following the discovery that the purported office had been allocated space within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation without presidential authorisation.
The ICPC said Nwabueze had operated under several variations of his name, including George Nathan Nwabueze, George Nwabueze, George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze.
STRUCTURE OF THE ALLEGED AGENCY
The website listed Dr Bassey B. Unaowo as Special Assistant to the Permanent Secretary on Political and Economic Affairs, OSGF; Dr Hajara Njidda Amoni as Director, National Administration; Oladunjoye Musiliua as Zonal Director, South-West; Hafsat Sahabi Dange as Zonal Director, North; and Ugochi Akudo Nwosu as Zonal Director, South-East.
The website also claimed that the project operated under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, while its framework page stated that it was overseen by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs, in the OSGF.
However, the claimed government connection is at odds with the ICPC’s finding that the office was operating without presidential authorisation.
20 STATE COORDINATORS
The purported agency’s website also listed 20 individuals as state coordinators, including representatives for Katsina, Kaduna, Delta, Kebbi, Osun, Anambra, Nasarawa, Plateau, Zamfara, Niger, Kano, Taraba, Oyo, Bauchi and Kogi, among others.
The website further listed representatives for the United States and China, suggesting that the purported structure extended beyond Nigeria.
The latest discovery comes amid a broader investigation into alleged fake government agencies and how such entities have been able to gain access to government facilities and processes.
President Tinubu had earlier directed a comprehensive forensic investigation into the fake agency scandal after the ICPC disclosed that its findings had uncovered additional purported fake agencies.
