President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the immediate arrest of George Buchi Nwabueze over the alleged operation of a fake government agency within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).

The President also directed the immediate suspension of three permanent secretaries following fresh findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in its investigation into alleged fake government agencies and weaknesses in public service processes.

ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu disclosed this on Friday while briefing State House correspondents after meeting with Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Aliyu said the commission uncovered another alleged unauthorised office operating within the OSGF premises, identified as the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office.

According to him, the office was allegedly allocated space within the OSGF without presidential approval.

He said the discovery formed part of the ICPC’s wider investigation into the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and other procedural weaknesses within government.

Aliyu alleged that the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office was promoted by Nwabueze, who allegedly operated under different variations of his name, with suspected collaborators within the OSGF.

The commission, he said, engaged OSGF officials to obtain information about the office before presenting its findings to President Tinubu.

“Following the briefing, Mr President directed the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze,” Aliyu said.

Aliyu further disclosed that Tinubu ordered the immediate suspension of three permanent secretaries: M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare and Richard P. Pheelangwah.

He said the ICPC investigation was still ongoing and that further action could follow as additional facts emerge.

The ICPC chairman commended Tinubu for ordering a forensic audit of government processes, describing the decision as a proactive step towards strengthening governance and closing loopholes that could facilitate abuse within the public service.

Aliyu said the investigation would determine the full extent of the alleged activities and establish the individuals involved.

The development comes as the ICPC intensifies its probe into alleged unauthorised entities operating within government structures, following Tinubu’s directive to investigate the alleged fake PFIPC.