Nigeria’s president has ordered a corruption investigation into allegations that a fictitious government agency was set up within his own office, complete with public funding worth $950,000 (£700,000).

According to the presidency, the letter from the president’s chief of staff creating the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) had been forged.

The police have launched a manhunt for Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who had been presenting himself as the “PFIPC director general”, on suspicion of forgery, impersonation and related offences.

Before going into hiding, Adeyemi told local media that he was innocent and now feared for his life.

He also promised to show up in court to clear his name, saying the body was lawfully established. He accused senior government officials of demanding bribes during the process of his appointment and later attempting to take control of the council’s funds.

The presidency has denied those allegations.Adeyemi said the council was set up in 2024 in order to attract foreign investment to Nigeria but there is no record of any deals being done.

It has a staff of three, who have been questioned by the police.

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate and submit a comprehensive report within 30 days.

BBC News Pidgin has found that the agency had secured office space within the Federal Secretariat – the vast government complex that houses many of Nigeria’s ministries in the capital Abuja – opened bank accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria, and appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act with an allocation of 1.3bn naira ($950,000; £700,000).

The scandal has prompted mounting public pressure from civil society organisations, opposition politicians and senior lawyers who have demanded an independent inquiry.

Tinubu said the integrity of the presidency and federal institutions “must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity and the exploitation of weaknesses in the public service”.

“All persons found culpable are to be treated strictly in accordance with applicable law,” the president’s statement read.