Nigeria’s president has ordered a corruption probe into allegations that a fictitious government agency funded by $950,000 (£700,000) of public funds was set up within his office.
According to the President’s Office, the letter from the President’s Chief of Staff creating the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) was forged.
Police have launched an investigation into Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who has been introducing himself as the ‘PFIPC Secretary-General’, on charges of forgery, impersonation and related offences.
Before going into hiding, Adeyemi told local media that he was innocent and that his life was now in danger.
He also promised to appear in court to clear his name.
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) to investigate and submit a comprehensive report within 30 days.
The agency has secured office space within the Federal Secretariat, a vast government complex that houses many of Nigeria’s ministries in the capital, Abuja, opened a bank account with the Central Bank of Nigeria and appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act with an allocation of 1.3 billion naira ($950,000, £700,000), according to a confirmation by BBC News Pidgin.
The President’s Office claimed that police forensic analysis confirmed that the signature of the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, on the controversial appointment letter was forged.
According to the indictment filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Adeyemi and two other defendants are accused of using forged official documents to establish and operate a council, opening several bank accounts in its name and seeking official recognition for an entity the government claims does not exist.
Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate various claims, including:
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forged appointment letters and official government documents;
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Using false claims to obtain official recognition and diplomatic support, including visa facilitation;
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Opening multiple bank accounts using forged documents,
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The role of government officials, individuals, financial institutions, or intermediaries that may have facilitated the alleged scheme.
The president also ordered investigators to look into the broader circumstances under which the alleged sham agency was able to obtain formal legitimacy and identify weaknesses in government processes that were allegedly exploited.
The scandal has led to mounting public pressure from civil society groups, opposition politicians and senior lawyers calling for an independent investigation.
Tinubu said the integrity of the presidency and federal institutions “must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity and exploitation of weaknesses in the public service.”
“Anyone found to be negligent must be treated strictly in accordance with applicable laws,” the president said in a statement.
Additional reporting by Adesola Abisoye from Lagos
