PFIPC probe: Reps uncover fake documents, HoS admits lapses

The House of Representatives on Wednesday received fresh evidence in its investigation into the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), as the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, admitted that her office failed to carry out enough checks before approving requests linked to the agency.

The investigation is focused on how the PFIPC, an agency lawmakers say has no legal backing, allegedly secured official recognition from several government institutions through fake appointment letters, fabricated legal documents and other false records. The House committee is also examining how different government offices accepted and acted on those documents.

During the hearing in Abuja, Walson-Jack acknowledged that her office processed requests for an authorised establishment and a recruitment waiver after officials of the supposed agency presented documents that later turned out to be false. She explained that the office followed its normal procedures because the documents appeared genuine at the time.

She told lawmakers that representatives of the agency attended the 2025 Annual Manpower Budget Defence and submitted what they claimed was an Establishment Act alongside a letter appointing the agency’s Director-General. Based on those documents, the office approved the requests. She later admitted that after reviewing the records during the investigation, it became clear that the documents were not genuine.

The Head of Service also said she immediately noticed problems with the alleged Establishment Act when she personally examined it. She further observed that the signature on the appointment letter did not match authentic signatures from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President. She accepted responsibility for the lapse and said her office would improve its internal procedures to prevent a similar situation in the future.

The committee also questioned officials from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation over the issuance of an administrative code linked to the agency. Joshua Luka, Director of the Federal Project Financial Department, explained that the office had originally addressed its correspondence to the Permanent Secretary at the State House as part of its verification process.

However, lawmakers discovered that the letter never reached the Permanent Secretary. Instead, it was collected by Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, who presented himself as the Director-General of the PFIPC. The committee also found that the government office listed on the correspondence did not exist within the State House.

Luka attributed the incident to the action of a staff member rather than a failure of the institution. He identified Bello Abdullahi as the official who handed the letter to Adeyemi instead of ensuring it was delivered to the intended recipient. Bello admitted giving the document to Adeyemi during the hearing.

Committee Chairman Yusuf Gagdi said investigations had already confirmed that both the appointment letter and the alleged Establishment Act were fake. He stated that police forensic experts examined the signatures on the appointment letter and found that they did not match those of the genuine signatory.

According to the committee, the document also lacked the official features expected in a valid Act of the National Assembly, including citation details and Gazette references.

The hearing also addressed the absence of Adeyemi, who failed to appear before the committee despite an earlier directive by lawmakers. Representing the Inspector-General of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police Olufemi Akinola explained that Adeyemi remained in lawful custody under an existing court order, making it impossible for the police to present him before the committee without another court approval.

The House committee accepted the explanation and said it would seek the necessary legal permission to secure Adeyemi’s appearance. Lawmakers added that they had completed most of the investigation and would release preliminary findings next week before submitting a final report after the National Assembly resumes from its recess.

The committee is expected to recommend legal action against individuals found to have participated in the alleged fraud while also proposing measures to strengthen government procedures and prevent similar incidents in the future.