The House of Representatives ad hoc committee investigating the fraudulent Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) has summoned the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the National Security Adviser (NSA) to appear on Thursday for clarifications regarding the bogus agency.
Yusuf Gagdi, chairman of the committee, issued the invitations during an investigative session at the National Assembly in Abuja on Tuesday. The lawmaker expressed outrage that the fake entity had successfully engaged with foreign embassies, describing the development as a diplomatic embarrassment to Nigeria.
Gagdi criticised the Foreign Affairs Ministry for its failure to promptly detect the fraudulent operation, stressing that the situation warranted urgent scrutiny at the highest levels of government.
“The Minister of Foreign Affairs is hereby invited to appear on Thursday, July 23. The National Security Adviser is also invited to explain why his office did not pursue further inquiries after receiving a letter from the Foreign Affairs Ministry labelling the agency fake,” Gagdi declared.
Permanent Secretary Responds
In his testimony, Dunoma Ahmed, Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, confirmed that the ministry had received correspondence from the PFIPC seeking diplomatic engagements. He stated that upon conducting due diligence, officials determined the agency to be illegitimate and promptly alerted the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Arrest Made in Osun State
Meanwhile, Adeyemi Matthew, the self-styled Director General of the PFIPC, has been arrested and detained in Osun State. His arrest followed a warrant issued by the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, after he failed to appear for hearings on charges of forgery and impersonation brought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Presidential Directive
The investigation was initiated following President Bola Tinubu’s directive to probe the alleged fraudulent entity, which had reportedly been operating under the guise of attracting foreign investment to Nigeria.
The committee is expected to continue its proceedings on Thursday, with both summoned officials required to provide detailed explanations on their respective roles and responses to the scandal.