Tinubu orders further forensic probe into fake agency scandal

President Bola Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive forensic investigation into the scandal involving fictitious government agencies, following findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission that uncovered additional fake agencies within the Federal Government.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, disclosed this after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The investigation will examine government processes, administrative procedures and internal control weaknesses that allowed the fictitious agencies to be created and obtain official government codes.

The scandal initially centred on the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, but the government said the ICPC investigation uncovered at least two additional fake agencies.

President Tinubu has also directed that the review extend to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS). According to Oyedele, the existence of fake agencies raises concerns that fictitious employees could also have been added to the Federal Government payroll.

The government said the forensic investigation will seek to determine how the fake agencies were created, identify weaknesses in the system and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Oyedele said the Attorney-General of the Federation and relevant government agencies had been directed to work together on the investigation, covering administrative, accounting and governance issues.

He explained that the fake agency had reportedly managed to obtain both an administrative code and a Treasury Single Account code, although no government funds were ultimately paid into the accounts.

The Federal Government said the matter was being treated seriously because such weaknesses could undermine efforts to improve payroll management and ensure that public funds are directed toward legitimate government programmes and workers.

The outcome of the forensic investigation is expected to provide further details on how the fake agencies were established and whether any individuals or officials were involved in the process.