A former Permanent Secretary of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Goke Adeboroye, has said weaknesses within Nigeria’s government bureaucracy may have made it possible for an alleged fake presidential agency to operate within the government system without being detected.
Adeboroye made the disclosure during an appearance on Channels Television’s Inside Sources, following the discovery of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The ICPC had alleged that the council operated with forged appointment letters and other government documents and had no legal backing. The commission also said the person presented as its Director-General, Adeniyi Matthew, was not appointed to the position by the Federal Government.
While investigating the alleged council, the anti-corruption agency said it uncovered another organisation known as the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office. According to the ICPC, the organisation was operating from premises belonging to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation without proper presidential approval.
Reacting to the development, Adeboroye questioned how an organisation allegedly lacking government approval could gain access to government facilities, secure budget-related provisions and operate within the government system without the irregularities being detected earlier.
He said the situation pointed to gaps in the administrative systems supporting key offices within the Presidency and the wider Federal Government.
The former permanent secretary specifically mentioned the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service as offices that require strong administrative structures capable of checking questionable instructions and documents.
According to him, the civil service should have enough professional capacity to support the President’s policies while also ensuring that established government procedures are followed.
Adeboroye also spoke about the need for civil servants to maintain professional judgment when dealing with directives from political office holders. He said government officials should be able to question instructions that do not follow the proper process rather than simply acting on them.
He explained that experienced civil servants are expected to understand the official channels through which presidential decisions and approvals are communicated. This knowledge, he said, should make it easier to identify suspicious letters or instructions claiming to come from the Presidency.
Adeboroye noted that presidential approvals normally pass through senior government offices, including the Chief of Staff, the SGF and, where necessary, the Head of the Civil Service.
He said officials should therefore verify questionable directives through the appropriate channels before taking action.
The former permanent secretary recalled an incident from his time at the Ministry of Interior involving a former governor who claimed to have presidential approval to obtain a diplomatic passport.
According to Adeboroye, the then Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service did not immediately act on the request. Instead, the official verified the approval and sought further clarification before proceeding.
Adeboroye said the incident showed why knowledge of government procedures and experience within the civil service remain important in preventing abuse and fraudulent activities.
He added that questionable directives could often be confirmed or rejected through simple communication between relevant government offices.
The controversy surrounding the alleged fake agencies began after the ICPC launched investigations into the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council. The investigation later led the commission to the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office.
ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu had said the Made in Nigeria office was given space within the OSGF premises without presidential authorisation.
However, the National Coordinator and Executive Director of the organisation, George Nwabueze, has rejected the allegation. He maintains that the project office is legitimate, operates under the OSGF and has been in existence for about 16 years.
Nwabueze has also produced an appointment letter which he said was issued by the OSGF and which approved his appointment as National Coordinator and Executive Director of the Made in Nigeria Project Office.
The disagreement has continued, with questions remaining over the legal status of the organisation, how it gained access to government facilities and the role played by officials in its activities.