House Committee Probe of Fake Agency Hits Roadblock

A fresh wave of disagreements has surfaced within the House of Representatives ad hoc committee tasked with investigating the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, a purported agency that has been at the center of controversy. The committee, led by Plateau State lawmaker Yusuf Gagdi, has been working tirelessly for over a month to gather evidence and testimonies from senior government officials. These officials include the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, and the Director of Banking Services at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Hamisu Abdullahi. They were questioned about their roles in recognizing the alleged agency. The officials claimed they acted based on information and documents provided by Adeniyi Adeyemi, who presented himself as the Director-General of the organization. However, the Presidency and the Chief of Staff have denied any involvement with the agency, describing it as fictitious and accusing Adeyemi of forging documents. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has cleared the Presidency of any wrongdoing and recommended that Adeyemi be prosecuted. The committee had planned to hold a press conference after questioning the government institutions involved but has yet to do so. They also intended to question Adeyemi at a private location, but he insisted on testifying publicly. A major point of contention among committee members is the lack of a formal invitation to the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to respond to the allegations against him. Some members believe that Gbajabiamila's testimony is crucial to the investigation, while others think that Adeyemi should be allowed to testify in public. Amnesty International has condemned the probe, stating that it reflects the weaknesses in Nigeria's governance institutions and calling for an independent panel of inquiry. The Country Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, described the incident as a reflection of the deep-seated corruption within government agencies. Transparency International Nigeria has also warned that the committee's investigation may not provide the necessary answers to the questions raised by the controversy.