FEC Orders Forensic Probe Into Fake Government Agencies, IPPIS

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has ordered a comprehensive forensic investigation into government systems and processes following the discovery of additional fictitious government agencies by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The directive followed a briefing by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the ICPC’s interim report into the activities of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), which investigators have established was not a legitimate government agency.

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, disclosed the development while briefing State House correspondents after the FEC meeting in Abuja.

Oyedele said the President directed that the investigation should go beyond the controversial agency and examine the government systems that allowed fictitious bodies to obtain official recognition, codes and access to government processes.

A key component of the exercise will be a review of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), with the government seeking to determine whether similar weaknesses could have enabled fake agencies or individuals to gain access to the public payroll system and potentially create ghost-worker records.

According to the minister, the forensic exercise will examine administrative, accounting and governance procedures to identify gaps that may have allowed the purported agency to operate within government structures.

The investigation is also expected to establish how fictitious agencies were able to obtain official codes and interact with government institutions despite not having been lawfully established.

The ICPC had earlier uncovered additional fictitious government bodies allegedly linked to the activities of Adeniyi Adeyemi, the man accused of presenting himself as the Director-General of the PFIPC. The commission said the discovery pointed to wider weaknesses in government processes.

The controversy surrounding the PFIPC emerged after questions were raised over the activities of an organisation that allegedly presented itself as a presidential investment body. The ICPC later reported that the purported agency was fictitious and that an appointment letter allegedly used by Adeyemi did not originate from the Presidency.

The scandal has raised concerns over how an entity that was not a recognised government agency could gain access to official processes and interact with public institutions.

Oyedele said the forensic review would therefore not only investigate the immediate case but also identify weaknesses across government systems and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The government is expected to use the findings to strengthen internal controls, improve verification procedures and close loopholes that could be exploited to create or legitimise fictitious government institutions.

The development comes as the ICPC continues its investigation into the PFIPC matter, with the commission having submitted an interim report to the Presidency and recommended further action against those found culpable.