By David Torough, Abuja

The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) has uncovered 58 bank accounts allegedly linked to its disputed Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi, as well as 12 agencies, companies, foundations and related entities associated with him.

The committee, in its preliminary findings presented on Wednesday in Abuja, also flagged an alleged N400 million transaction involving claims that Adeyemi induced a company to make payments in four instalments after representing that he could secure a contract for the renovation, furnishing or improvement of an official residence purportedly allocated to him as PFIPC Director-General.

Chairman of the committee, Yusuf Gagdi, said preliminary financial information obtained from relevant institutions showed that more than 30 of the 58 accounts appeared to have been operated in the names of about nine agencies, companies, foundations or related entities.

Among the organisations identified were the FCT Investment Promotion Council and FCT Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership; Confederation of United Nations Youths; Foreign Investment Promotion Agency; United Nations Youth Global Agency; United Nations Youth Global Foundation; World United Nations Youth Global Foundation; World Entrepreneurship University Limited; World Enterprise University Limited; FCT Investment Promotion Act; FCT Promotion Agency; and Olubadan of Ibadan Foundation.

The committee, however, stressed that the discovery of the accounts and entities did not, by itself, establish that every account, organisation or transaction was unlawful.

Gagdi said the panel was still reconciling registration records, account mandates, beneficial ownership information, signatories and transaction histories to determine the true ownership, control and purpose of the organisations and accounts.

According to him, similarities in the names, objectives, management structures, signatories and banking relationships of several of the entities had raised concerns about a possible pattern of creating or deploying organisations to project artificial credibility, obtain official recognition, solicit funds or induce members of the public to part with money.

A major finding of the investigation is that the purported PFIPC was never lawfully established.

The committee said it found no valid Act of the National Assembly, gazetted enactment, presidential executive order or other lawful instrument establishing the organisation.

It also raised concerns over documents allegedly used to confer official status on the council, including a purported presidential appointment letter for Adeyemi, an alleged Executive Order and a document presented as an Act of the National Assembly establishing the organisation.

Gagdi said evidence obtained from the State House indicated that the purported appointment letter was neither issued nor signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila. The letterhead and reference number were also said to be inconsistent with official State House correspondence.

The committee consequently exonerated Gbajabiamila from allegations that he authorised, established or participated in the activities of the purported council.

Rather, the panel said evidence showed that he promptly alerted relevant security and investigative agencies after receiving information about the organisation’s activities, including the Nigeria Police Force, Office of the National Security Adviser, Department of State Services and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The alleged N400 million transaction has emerged as one of the most significant financial aspects of the investigation.

According to the committee, a company alleged that Adeyemi induced it to make payments in four instalments after representing that he could secure a contract connected with the renovation, furnishing or improvement of a purported official residence allocated to him in his claimed capacity as PFIPC Director-General.

The panel said it was tracing the destination of the funds, identifying account holders and beneficial owners and determining whether public officers or private individuals participated in, facilitated or benefited from the transaction.

Gagdi said that if the allegations were established through competent investigative and judicial processes, they could disclose offences including fraudulent misrepresentation, obtaining money by false pretence, impersonation, conspiracy, forgery and offences relating to the concealment or movement of proceeds of crime.

Beyond the alleged financial activities, the lawmakers said the probe exposed weaknesses in the verification of government institutions and the processes through which organisations obtain administrative and budgetary recognition.

The committee is investigating how an entity it says was never lawfully established was nevertheless able to secure apparent recognition within the Federal Government’s administrative machinery and find its way into the 2026 budget framework.

The panel identified possible lapses in the creation of administrative and budget codes, authentication of official correspondence, allocation of government accommodation and processing of official-looking vehicle number plates.

The purported council allegedly reinforced its claim to government legitimacy by occupying office accommodation within the Federal Secretariat Complex and operating a website portraying it as a Federal Government institution.

The committee also said the organisation used the names, offices and photographs of President Bola Tinubu and other senior government officials without authorisation.

About 39 individuals were reportedly represented as employees of the purported organisation. The committee is examining their recruitment, appointment letters, identity cards and remuneration, as well as allegations that some prospective employees were required to make payments as a condition for employment.

The committee recommended that Ministries, Departments and Agencies immediately stop recognising, transacting with or extending government privileges to the purported PFIPC or any related entity whose legal status has not been independently verified.

It also urged relevant authorities to ensure that no appropriation, administrative code, warrant, cash backing, financial release or government facility is processed in favour of the organisation.

Financial institutions and investigative agencies were asked to preserve relevant account records, transaction histories, account mandates and beneficial ownership information.

The committee further called for the prompt conclusion of criminal and financial investigations and, where sufficient admissible evidence is established, prosecution before courts of competent jurisdiction.

It recommended the tracing, preservation, freezing and recovery of proceeds or assets derived from any established unlawful conduct, subject to applicable legal requirements and judicial authorisation.

The panel also proposed stronger authentication procedures for the creation of government institutions and administrative and budget codes, as well as official correspondence purportedly emanating from the Presidency and other high offices.

It recommended the establishment or strengthening of a centralised digital verification platform through which the lawful existence, establishing instrument and status of every Federal Government institution can be independently authenticated.

Gagdi said the committee would continue investigating the ownership and control of the identified accounts, the alleged N400 million transaction, the purported official residence, special number plates, occupation of government accommodation and the roles of public officers and private individuals connected with the matter.

He said outstanding evidence would be obtained from institutions and public officers yet to fully comply with the committee’s requests, while all affected persons would be given fair hearing before definitive conclusions are reached.

The chairman stressed that the findings presented were preliminary and did not amount to a final determination of criminal guilt, which remains the responsibility of courts of competent jurisdiction.

The committee’s final report is expected to be submitted to the House upon its resumption from its annual recess, after which lawmakers may consider, debate, adopt, amend or reject the findings and recommendations.

Gagdi said the investigation was ultimately aimed at protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s institutions and preventing individuals or organisations from manufacturing governmental authority for private advantage.

“The Presidency cannot be impersonated with impunity,” he said.

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By Tambaya Julius, Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has fixed physical screening and documentation for successful candidates shortlisted in its 2024/2025 recruitment exercise, warning applicants that failure to appear on their assigned dates could lead to disqualification.

The exercise will take place at the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC), Gwagwalada, Abuja, with candidates expected to report strictly according to the dates allocated to their respective states and cadres.

The NCS Spokesperson, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, announced this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.

Maiwada described attendance at the exercise as compulsory, urging shortlisted candidates to comply fully with the schedule and requirements communicated by the Service.

He said candidates must appear with both original and photocopies of the required documents for verification.

The documents include the National Identification Number (NIN), original birth certificate or declaration of age, as well as educational certificates covering O’Level, National Diploma (ND), Higher National Diploma (HND), degree and other applicable qualifications.

Candidates are also required to present a Certificate of State of Origin, two recent passport photographs, a completed Guarantor’s Form and NYSC Certificate, where applicable.

In addition to the documentation requirements, Maiwada directed candidates to appear in a white T-shirt, shorts and canvas shoes for the physical screening.

He explained that candidates who successfully complete the screening and documentation exercise would subsequently receive further instructions from the Service on the next stage of the recruitment process.

The spokesperson said the NCS had established the necessary mechanisms to ensure that the recruitment exercise was conducted transparently and on the basis of merit.

He said the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, and the management team remained committed to ensuring fairness throughout the process.

“The NCS under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi and his management team, assure all candidates and the general public of a transparent, fair and merit-based recruitment process,” Maiwada said.

He further cautioned candidates against relying on unofficial information, advising them to obtain updates only through the Service’s recognised communication channels.

The recruitment exercise comes as the NCS continues efforts to strengthen its workforce and improve its operational capacity in revenue generation, trade facilitation and border security.