The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has named some senior civil servants allegedly involved in helping Adeniyi Adeyemi, the Director-General of the now-disowned Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, obtain government approvals and gain access to official financial and administrative systems.
The revelations are contained in an interim investigation report by the ICPC following President Bola Tinubu’s directive to investigate the activities of the purported agency after the Presidency disowned Adeyemi and the organisation.
According to the commission, the alleged fraud went beyond the presentation of forged documents by Adeyemi, as some officials in government institutions allegedly processed his requests and facilitated approvals despite irregularities in the required procedures.
The ICPC said Adeyemi began seeking formal recognition for the purported agency in November 2024 when he approached the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation for an administrative code, self-accounting status and approval to open accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
He reportedly submitted documents including an appointment letter, establishment instrument and a letter on State House letterhead allegedly signed by one Akanbi Adewale.
However, investigators reportedly discovered that Akanbi Adewale did not exist, while forensic examination showed that the letter attributed to him was actually signed by Adeyemi.
Despite the discrepancies, the documents were allegedly used to process the applications.
On May 27, 2025, the OAGF reportedly granted the purported agency self-accounting status and assigned it administrative code 0111062001, alongside establishment and recruitment waiver arrangements.
The approval subsequently enabled the organisation to secure a place in the 2026 federal budget and gain access to government financial systems.
The OAGF also reportedly created a Government Integrated Financial Management Information System platform and a Sub-Treasury Account for the purported agency.
It further issued a mandate to the CBN for the creation of two domiciliary accounts. The CBN later told the House of Representatives that the accounts were never activated because the organisation failed to provide authorised signatories.
Civil servants allegedly facilitated approvals
The ICPC particularly examined the roles of three civil servants in securing an authorised establishment and recruitment waiver for the purported agency.
They were Rose Achem, senior administrative officer to the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation; Patricia Akhigbe, an assistant director in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning; and Mimi Abu, Director of Organisation Design and Development at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
According to the investigation, Achem introduced Akhigbe to Abu as the head of human resources of the PFIPC, although Akhigbe was an assistant director in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
The ICPC said the introduction was made to facilitate the purported council’s application for authorised establishment and recruitment waiver.
Investigators alleged that Achem, Akhigbe and Abu subsequently facilitated the approvals through the OHCSF.
The commission also found that Adeyemi paid Akhigbe N500,000 during Easter in 2025.
The payment was reportedly described as a “thank you for your support.”
The authorised establishment was allegedly granted on the same day the three officials met.
However, the ICPC said it found no evidence that the purported agency had formally applied for an authorised establishment and recruitment waiver.
Instead, Abu, Achem and Akhigbe allegedly proceeded with the approvals outside the required process.
The commission said that when investigators requested the relevant file from the OHCSF, the office reported that it was missing.
‘Appointment letter an aberration’
The ICPC also examined Abu’s role because her department is responsible for authorised establishment, manpower requirements and recruitment waivers for federal government organisations.
Under the normal procedure, newly established government organisations seeking approval are required to submit documents showing their mandate and establishment instruments, as well as the appointment letter of their head.
The investigation found that Achem and Akhigbe met Abu on behalf of the purported agency and presented what investigators described as forged establishment instruments and a forged appointment letter for Adeyemi.
Abu reportedly described the controversial appointment letter, said to have been issued by the Chief of Staff to the President, as an “aberration.”
She told investigators that she could not recall another government organisation presenting an appointment letter signed by the Chief of Staff.
When the purported agency could not upload the required documents through the OHCSF portal, its representatives reportedly submitted physical copies of the controversial appointment letter and its purported enabling instruments.
The ICPC further found that although the organisation requested the deployment of staff in a letter dated May 9, 2025, the OHCSF neither approved nor effected any deployment.
Evidence from the Enterprise Content Management System reportedly showed that no officers were deployed to the purported agency by the OHCSF.
How fake agency got Federal Secretariat office
The commission also investigated how Adeyemi obtained office accommodation at the Federal Secretariat.
Investigators examined the role of Aminu Abdullahi, the official responsible for office allocation within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
According to the report, Abdullahi was introduced to Adeyemi in March 2025 by Ibrahim Abdulkadir, a deputy director in General Services.
The introduction was reportedly intended to guide Adeyemi through the process of obtaining office accommodation at the Federal Secretariat.
The ICPC’s findings have further exposed how the purported agency allegedly penetrated government structures despite questions surrounding its legitimacy and the authenticity of documents used to secure official recognition.
The commission’s interim report is expected to form part of the ongoing investigation into the controversial organisation and the officials allegedly involved in helping it gain access to government systems.
