By NEWSCOUNT Desk
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has named four government officials it says were involved in helping the now-disowned Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) obtain government approvals and office space.
The officials are Rose Achem, Senior Administrative Officer to the Director-General of the Budget Office; Patricia Akhigbe, Assistant Director in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning; Mimi Abu, Director of Organisation Design and Development in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF); and Aminu Abdullahi, an official involved in office allocation at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
The names are contained in the commission’s interim investigation into the activities of Adeniyi Adeyemi, who promoted PFIPC and presented himself as its Director-General.
The investigation followed the Federal Government’s decision to probe the activities of the purported council after the Presidency disowned it and said it was not an organisation created or authorised by the government.
President Bola Tinubu had directed the ICPC to investigate Adeyemi, the documents used by PFIPC and the roles of public officials who may have helped the organisation obtain government recognition, facilities or other benefits.
The ICPC said Achem, Akhigbe and Abu allegedly helped PFIPC obtain an authorised establishment and recruitment waiver from the OHCSF.
The commission said there was, however, no evidence that PFIPC had submitted a formal application for the approval.
According to the investigation, Achem introduced Akhigbe to Abu as PFIPC’s head of human resources. Akhigbe was at the time an Assistant Director in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
The three officials allegedly met with PFIPC representatives and assisted in processing the request for the authorised establishment and recruitment waiver.
The ICPC said the approval was granted on the same day the officials met, despite the absence of evidence of a formal application from PFIPC.
The commission also examined documents presented by Adeyemi to support the activities of PFIPC. The documents included an alleged establishment instrument and an appointment letter said to have been issued under the authority of the Chief of Staff to the President.
Investigators found that some of the documents were forged. The investigation also reportedly found that a person identified in one of the documents as Akanbi Adewale did not exist, while forensic examination indicated that the document had been signed by Adeyemi.
The ICPC further alleged that Akhigbe received N500,000 from Adeyemi during the 2025 Easter period.
The payment was allegedly made as a “thank you” for her assistance.
Investigators also requested the relevant file on the establishment process from the OHCSF but were reportedly told that the file could not be found.
Abu’s role came under scrutiny because her department handles authorised establishment, manpower requirements, organisation design and recruitment waivers within the Federal Civil Service.
The investigation found that PFIPC was unable to upload some of the required documents through the OHCSF electronic platform and instead submitted physical copies.
The ICPC also found that PFIPC requested the deployment of staff to the purported council in a letter dated May 9, 2025. The OHCSF did not approve the request or deploy officers to the organisation.
Records from the Enterprise Content Management System reportedly showed that no officers were deployed to PFIPC by the OHCSF.
The fourth official named by the commission, Abdullahi, was investigated over the allocation of government offices to PFIPC at the Federal Secretariat.
The ICPC said Abdullahi was introduced to Adeyemi in March 2025 by Ibrahim Abdulkadir, a Deputy Director in General Services.
Abdullahi allegedly helped Adeyemi secure office accommodation for PFIPC at the Federal Secretariat, Phase III.
The offices had previously been occupied by former Chief Economic Adviser to the President, Doyin Salami.
The commission said Abdullahi allocated the offices to PFIPC without written approval.
Investigators also alleged that only two keys were available for the offices and that Abdullahi broke the locks on the remaining doors to give Adeyemi access to the other rooms.
The financial dealings between the two men were also examined.
According to the ICPC, an analysis of Abdullahi’s bank statement showed that he received N3.25 million from Adeyemi in three payments made between March and November 2025.
The payments are part of the transactions being examined by the commission in connection with the assistance allegedly provided to PFIPC by government officials.
The investigation came after the Presidency publicly stated that PFIPC was not a government agency and that Adeyemi had not been appointed by the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.
The President subsequently ordered the ICPC to investigate how the purported council operated, including the alleged use of government documents, attempts to obtain official approvals and access to government facilities, and the involvement of public officers.
The ICPC has submitted an interim report on the investigation, which also contains findings against Adeyemi and other persons linked to the purported council.
The allegations against the four officials are contained in an interim investigation report and have not been established by a court. Any prosecution arising from the investigation will be subject to the due process of law.
