The findings were contained in an interim investigation report by the ICPC into the PFIPC controversy, which was ordered by President Bola Tinubu after the Presidency disowned both the organisation and its purported Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi.
According to the commission, the alleged penetration of government structures by the PFIPC went beyond the forged documents said to have been presented by Adeyemi, as officials in several government institutions allegedly processed requests and facilitated approvals despite apparent gaps in the required procedures.
The investigation revealed that Adeyemi began seeking formal recognition for the organisation in November 2024, approaching the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) for an administrative code, self-accounting status and approval to open accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria.
He reportedly supported the applications with documents including a purported appointment letter, an establishment instrument and a letter bearing the State House letterhead allegedly signed by one Akanbi Adewale.
However, investigators reportedly discovered that Akanbi Adewale did not exist, while forensic analysis allegedly showed that the signature attributed to him was that of Adeyemi.
Despite the alleged irregularities, the documents were processed, and on May 27, 2025, the OAGF granted the PFIPC self-accounting status and assigned it administrative code 0111062001, alongside authorised establishment and recruitment waiver arrangements.
The approvals reportedly enabled the organisation to gain access to government financial structures, secure a place in the 2026 federal budget and obtain a Government Integrated Financial Management Information System platform and Sub-Treasury Account.
The ICPC also investigated the roles of three civil servants in the process of securing an authorised establishment and recruitment waiver for the PFIPC.
They include Rose Achem, a senior administrative officer attached to the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation; Patricia Akhigbe, an assistant director in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning; and Mimi Abu, a director in charge of organisation design and development at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
According to the investigation, Achem allegedly introduced Akhigbe to Abu as the PFIPC's head of human resources, despite Akhigbe being an assistant director in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
The introduction was allegedly made to facilitate the PFIPC's application for authorised establishment and a recruitment waiver.
Investigators said the three officials subsequently helped process the approvals through the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
The ICPC further found that Adeyemi allegedly paid Akhigbe N500,000 during Easter in 2025, with the payment reportedly described as a “thank you for your support”.
The commission said there was no evidence that the PFIPC formally applied for an authorised establishment and recruitment waiver, as required under standard procedures.
Instead, investigators alleged that the approvals were facilitated outside the established process.
When the ICPC requested the relevant file from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service, the file was reportedly declared missing.
The commission also examined how Adeyemi allegedly obtained office accommodation at the Federal Secretariat.
According to the report, an official responsible for office allocation, Aminu Abdullahi, allegedly allocated offices previously occupied by former Chief Economic Adviser to the President, Doyin Salami, to the PFIPC for temporary use without written approval.
Investigators said only two keys were initially available for the offices, while the locks on other offices were allegedly broken to give Adeyemi access to additional spaces.
An examination of Abdullahi's bank records reportedly showed that he received N3.25 million from Adeyemi in three instalments between March and November 2025.
The investigation also uncovered another suspected fake government entity, identified as the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, which allegedly operated within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
President Tinubu subsequently ordered the suspension of three permanent secretaries and the arrest of the alleged promoter of the organisation, George Buchi Nwabueze.
ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu said investigators also uncovered suspected collaborators within the system and alleged that forged legislative instruments were used to give the entities an appearance of legitimacy and facilitate the opening of bank accounts.
The PFIPC was reportedly listed in the 2026 Appropriation Act with an allocation of N1.3 billion, although Adeyemi has denied preparing the budget.
Adeyemi has also denied any wrongdoing and maintained that his appointment was legitimate. He is currently facing an eight-count charge bordering on forgery, impersonation and related offences.
The Presidency has maintained that neither the PFIPC nor Adeyemi received official recognition under the Tinubu administration.
Meanwhile, the ICPC has recommended administrative action against Abu, Achem, Akhigbe and Abdullahi over their alleged roles in the matter.
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