Sports
Tinubu orders arrest of DG, suspension of three perm secs as ICPC uncovers another fake agency
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate arrest of one George Buchi Nwabueze and the suspension of three permanent secretaries over the discovery of another fake agency operating within the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
They include M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare, and Richard P. Pheelangwah.
Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Dr Musa Aliyu, SAN disclosed this to State House correspondents on Friday after briefing the President for the second time in two days, following an earlier meeting on Thursday.
Aliyu said the newly uncovered fake office, operating under the name “National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office,” had been illegally allocated office space within the premises of the OSGF, contrary to extant laws and without presidential authorisation.
He said, “Upon further briefing by ICPC to Mr President on the ongoing investigations into the fake Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and procedural weaknesses in the public service, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has uncovered another fake agency and office operating under the name National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office, which has been illegally allocated office space within the premises of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” Aliyu said.
He said the discovery emerged in the course of the commission’s broader investigation, as earlier directed by President Tinubu, and identified the promoter of the fake office as one Prince George Buchi Nwabueze, who was found to be operating under multiple aliases.
“The fake agency office, National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office, was promoted by one George Buchi Nwabueze, with active suspected collaborators in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, contrary to extant laws and without authorisation of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The promoter was discovered to also operate under four other variations of his name: George Nathan, George Nathan Nwabueze, Honourable George Buchi Nwabueze, Prince George Buchi Nwabueze and George Nwabueze,” Aliyu said.
He revealed that the ICPC had engaged the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to ascertain vital information relating to the fake office under investigation, and had comprehensively briefed the President on the new developments.
“I have briefed Mr President comprehensively on these new developments. ICPC will continue with its investigations accordingly,” he said.
Aliyu said following the discovery, “Mr President has directed as follows: the immediate arrest of Prince George Buchi Nwabueze; the immediate suspension of the following permanent secretaries; M.S. Danjuma, Nadungu Gagare, and Richard P. Pheelangwah,” he said.
Friday’s development is the latest in a scandal that began with the exposure of the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, whose self-styled Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, is currently facing prosecution on charges of forgery and impersonation.
The ICPC’s interim report, submitted to the President on August 6 after a 30-day investigation, had earlier disclosed the existence of two other fictitious bodies, the FCT Investment Promotion Agency and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency and Public-Private Partnership.
The National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office is the fourth fake agency uncovered after the PFIFC scandal since early April.
Argentina football icon, Lionel Messi was seen at El Prado cemetery in Rosario on Sunday during the private funeral of his father and longtime agent, Jorge Messi, who died at 68 after a long illness.
Messi and his family travelled from Florida and were escorted by a police motorcade to the cemetery, where a family wake was held before the burial.
Fans left floral tributes and messages of support outside the gates. Jorge Messi played a central role in his son’s career, moving with the 13-year-old to Barcelona in 2000 and later managing his contracts and image rights.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner touched down on a private flight from Miami late on Saturday with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and their children and remained surrounded by his close family and a few teammates from the Argentine national squad.
The gates of the town’s El Prado cemetery displayed handwritten messages from fans—”Stay strong, Leo, we love you” and “Stay strong, Messi family”—alongside a large floral wreath.
Messi’s teammates rallied around their captain following the announcement that Jorge Messi had passed away late Friday at a clinic in Rosario.
Former Nigeria’s striker and Chelsea midfielder, John Obi Mikel, has said no fan or ex-player of the club would want Arsenal FC to win the Premier League title.
Mikel made the remark on his Obi One Podcast released on Monday as the Premier League title race intensifies, insisting that the long-standing rivalry between both London clubs makes such support impossible.
He said, “No Chelsea ex-player or fan will ever want to see Arsenal win the Premier League.
Responding to criticism from Arsenal supporters, Mikel dismissed claims that such sentiments reflect a “small club” mentality. He recalled that interactions between players and fans of both clubs were often hostile, even outside match settings.
To all Arsenal fans saying, ‘Mikel, you are too harsh on us,’ I’m Chelsea, and you can take it personally. I don’t want you to win the Premier League.
“We hated each other; the rivalry was crazy [back then]. We smashed each other. And when I went out after the games in London or whenever it was, when I saw Arsenal fans or players, we never spoke to each other. Sometimes, even our friends got into fights.”
He also warned that if Arsenal fails to win the Premier League this season, it would be the biggest disaster in the history of the competition for the Gunners.
“These Arsenal players, they have to understand that this is their probably, if they don’t win it (Premier League) this season. It’s probably going to be the biggest disaster in the history of the Premier League for them.
“It’s going to be the biggest disaster for them because right now, if they had won that game [against Bournemouth] on Saturday. It will be 12 points.
“They took their foot off the gas over the weekend, and Man City came right back, and right now it is 6 points.”
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are the latest team to book their spot at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after their 1-0 win against Jamaica, following extra time, in their intercontinental playoff final.
Former Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe netted the only goal in the first half of extra time to settle the tie after a tense affair in normal time.
The former England under-21 international bundled the ball over the line from a corner in the 100th minute, but had to wait for more than a minute while it was checked for a possible handball before being confirmed as a goal.
“We made it very difficult for ourselves, perhaps the occasion got the better of us,” said Tuanzebe, who now plays his club football for Burnley in the English Premier League.
“I am so proud of what I could do for the country, I’m so proud of the country, and now it is time to celebrate.”
It was as much as the Congolese deserved, having dominated proceedings in a fast-flowing match, albeit without many clear-cut chances at Estadio Guadalajara, which will be one of the three Mexican venues for the World Cup.
The victory means there will be 10 teams from Africa lining up at the 2026 edition of football’s showpiece event.
The DRC defeated Nigeria in a playoff at the end of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) qualifier to reach the intercontinental stage.
Jamaica beat New Caledonia on Thursday in their intercontinental pathway to reach this stage, while DRC’s ranking – as one of the African sides – meant they were placed straight into the final.
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