President orders immediate probe as alleged National Brands Development office is discovered inside OSGF complex
ABUJA — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate arrest of George Buchi Nwabueze and the suspension of three Permanent Secretaries following the discovery of another alleged fictitious government agency operating within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
The dramatic development was announced by the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, after briefing President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The latest discovery has sent another shockwave through Nigeria’s public service, coming barely weeks after the ICPC uncovered the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), an entity alleged to have operated without proper government authorisation.
According to the ICPC, investigators uncovered an office operating under the name “National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office.”
The commission said the purported agency had allegedly secured office space within the OSGF complex without presidential authorisation, raising fresh questions about internal controls, administrative procedures and how unauthorised organisations gain access to sensitive government facilities.
The ICPC said the discovery emerged from its continuing investigation into fictitious agencies and weaknesses within government processes.
The commission alleged that Nwabueze promoted the purported agency and that the operation may have involved suspected collaborators within the OSGF.
Following the ICPC briefing, President Tinubu directed the immediate arrest of Nwabueze.
The President also ordered the suspension of three Permanent Secretaries pending further investigation. They are:
– M.S. Danjuma
– Nadungu Gagare
– Richard P. Pheelangwah
The ICPC stressed that its investigation remains ongoing and that additional action could follow as more facts emerge.
Beyond the arrest and suspensions, the latest discovery raises a more fundamental question: How could an allegedly fictitious government entity secure office accommodation within one of the Federal Government’s most important administrative complexes?
For many Nigerians, the issue goes beyond one individual or one purported agency. It touches the integrity of the machinery of government itself.
The discovery has therefore placed renewed attention on the need for stronger verification mechanisms, tighter administrative controls and greater accountability in the management of government institutions.
The ICPC has linked the development to its broader investigation into fictitious bodies and procedural weaknesses within the Federal Government.
The latest action also signals a widening crackdown on individuals and structures allegedly exploiting the name and facilities of government.
The ICPC has said the investigation is continuing, while President Tinubu has directed further scrutiny of government processes that may allow unauthorised entities to operate within the Federal Government system.
As investigators dig deeper, Nigerians will be watching closely to see whether the latest case ends with the arrest of one alleged promoter—or exposes a wider network of administrative failures and possible collusion.
For now, the message from the Presidency is unmistakable: the doors of government are coming under a closer audit, and those found to have abused the system may be required to answer difficult questions.
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