The National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, recently uncovered by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC, reportedly created a nationwide appointment structure designed to give the impression of a legitimate federal institution.
The organisation, which allegedly operated from office space within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, OSGF, appointed coordinators across different states and geopolitical zones.
The appointments appeared to follow Nigeria’s federal character principle by distributing positions among different regions and ethnic groups.
The ICPC discovered the organisation during its investigation into the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and other weaknesses within the public service.
ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, said the organisation had been operating without presidential approval and had allegedly secured office space within the OSGF through the involvement of suspected collaborators within the government establishment.
The commission identified Prince George Buchi Nwabueze as the promoter of the organisation. Investigators said he also operated under several variations of his name, including George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Hon. George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze.
Information previously published on the organisation’s website presented Nwabueze as its Executive Director and National Coordinator.
A review of the organisation’s online profile showed that its leadership and state-level appointments were arranged to create a broad national presence.
At the national level, the structure listed Dr Bassey B. Unaowo as Special Assistant to the Permanent Secretary on Political and Economic Affairs in the OSGF and Dr Hajara Njidda Amoni as Director of National Administration.
It also named three zonal directors covering different parts of the country. Oladunjoye Musiliua was listed for the South-West, Hafsat Sahabi Dange for the North and Ugochi Akudo Nwosu for the South-East.
The organisation also listed coordinators for several states across the six geopolitical zones.
Among those listed in the North-West were Babangida Kabir Ruma for Katsina, Abdulhaleem Ishaq Ringim for Kaduna, Hussaini Abdullahi for Kebbi, Ibrahim Bello Marafa for Zamfara and Ibrahim Umar Aliyu for Sokoto.
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In the North-Central, the structure named Osolafia Muhammed for Nasarawa, Salome Audu Bidda for Plateau, Zainab Mohammed for Niger, Orduen Andrew Ikon and Justin Aondoaseer Tyopuusu for Benue, while Olorukooba Bidemi was listed for Kogi.
The organisation also claimed representation in the North-East, with Farouq Siyi listed as coordinator for Bauchi State.
Its appointments extended to the southern states. Godwin Adolor was listed for Delta, while Nwosu Chinyere R. and Chiamaka Nnake were associated with Abia and Anambra respectively.
In the South-West, the organisation listed Orioye G. Benedict, Kehinde Akintonide, Olugbemi Adetola Adelowokan and Bello Kolawole Ghaffar for Ondo, Ogun, Osun and Oyo states.
Another individual, Abubakar Ahmad Hichi, described as “Khalifa”, was also listed as part of the structure.
The arrangement gave the organisation the appearance of a federal institution with a presence across the country despite the ICPC’s finding that it had no presidential authorisation to operate.
The organisation also maintained social media accounts on platforms including Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn, further projecting itself as an established national body.
The discovery is part of a wider investigation ordered by President Bola Tinubu following the exposure of the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
Following the latest briefing by the ICPC, Tinubu ordered the immediate arrest of Nwabueze.
The President also ordered the suspension of three permanent secretaries identified as M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah.
The suspensions are expected to allow investigators to examine how the organisation obtained office accommodation within the OSGF and determine the roles allegedly played by public officials in facilitating its activities.
The ICPC said it had begun working with officials of the OSGF to obtain further information about the fake office and would continue investigating individuals connected to its operations.
The latest discovery brings to four the number of fictitious agencies uncovered by the ICPC following the exposure of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
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