A high-stakes corruption scandal has unfolded in Nigeria’s highest office, prompting President Bola Tinubu to launch a formal, time-bound investigation into the alleged creation of a fictitious federal agency that siphoned nearly $1 million in public funds. The controversy centers on the so-called Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), an entity that carved out office space in Abuja’s central Federal Secretariat, secured accounts at Nigeria’s Central Bank, and secured a 1.3 billion naira ($950,000) allocation in the 2026 national budget — all without official government authorization.
Presidential officials confirm that forensic police analysis has verified the founding document for the PFIPC, purportedly signed by Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, was a deliberate forgery. At the heart of the investigation is Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, a man who has publicly claimed the title of PFIPC Director General. Nigerian law enforcement has launched a national manhunt for Matthew, who faces charges including forgery, criminal impersonation, and fraud alongside two unnamed co-defendants. Before evading authorities, Matthew told local media he maintains his innocence, claims his life is under threat, and has pledged to appear in court to clear his name once the situation stabilizes.
In an official directive issued Tuesday, President Tinubu instructed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Nigeria’s top anti-corruption body, to complete a full investigation and submit a detailed final report within 30 days. The presidential order requires investigators to probe a wide range of alleged misconduct: the fabrication of official appointment letters and government documents; the use of false credentials to obtain official recognition, diplomatic backing, and visa processing support; the opening of multiple bank accounts under the PFIPC name with forged paperwork; and the complicity of any public officials, private actors, financial institutions, or middlemen who may have aided the fraudulent scheme.
Beyond holding individual actors accountable, Tinubu has also ordered investigators to unpack the systemic gaps that allowed a fake agency to gain all the trappings of a legitimate government body. The probe is tasked with identifying procedural weaknesses in Nigeria’s public administration that the conspirators allegedly exploited to pull off the scam.
The revelation of the fake agency has sparked widespread public outcry, with civil society organizations, opposition political figures, and senior legal leaders all calling for a fully independent, transparent inquiry to get to the root of the scheme. In his official statement, President Tinubu emphasized that the credibility of the presidency and Nigeria’s federal institutions must be safeguarded from criminal exploitation. “All persons found culpable are to be treated strictly in accordance with applicable law,” the statement read.
Additional on-the-ground reporting for this story was contributed by Adesola Abisoye in Lagos.