Ghost Agency Scandal: Tinubu Orders Arrest, Suspends Three Perm Secs

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a sweeping crackdown following the discovery of an alleged fake government agency operating inside the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).

The President, on Thursday, directed the immediate arrest of George Nwabueze, who was allegedly behind the unauthorised outfit, while three Permanent Secretaries were placed on compulsory suspension pending investigation.
According to Presidency sources, operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) discovered the organisation while investigating a wider network of bogus agencies allegedly created to defraud the government and unsuspecting members of the public.
The alleged fake agency was reportedly operating from within the OSGF complex, the administrative nerve centre of the Federal Government. A senior government source described the development as a serious breach of government security, noting that the organisation allegedly issued letters, received visitors and conducted operations from the premises.
Tinubu has directed security agencies to interrogate Nwabueze to establish who authorised the use of the office space, who financed the operation and how long it had been in existence.
The President also suspended three Permanent Secretaries linked to the findings. The Presidency said the suspensions took immediate effect, while the affected officials would undergo full investigation to determine whether they aided the operation, ignored it or benefited directly from the alleged scam.
The names of the suspended officials were not released as of Thursday night.
The OSGF, in a statement, vowed to “identify and eliminate fraudulent entities, irregularities and administrative weaknesses” across Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government.
The development comes amid an ongoing ICPC investigation into an alleged syndicate accused of creating “ghost agencies” to award contracts, solicit bribes and issue fake employment letters.
The discovery of an alleged fake agency within the SGF complex has raised concerns over oversight, vetting and security procedures within the highest levels of government.
The Tinubu administration has described the arrests and suspensions as part of a broader effort to sanitise the civil service and block leakages associated with ghost agencies, illegal recruitments and procurement fraud.
The ICPC said its investigation is still ongoing, with further arrests and disclosures expected.
For now, the arrest of Nwabueze and the suspension of three senior civil servants signal the administration’s determination to tackle alleged corruption and administrative irregularities within government.