The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Esther Didi Walson-Jack, acknowledged a lapse in due diligence prior to granting key approvals to the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) and the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), both of which are under investigation by the House of Representatives for allegedly lacking legal authorization.
During a session with the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the unauthorized creation of these agencies, Mrs. Walson-Jack admitted reliance on documents that later proved fraudulent in approving their establishment and issuing a recruitment waiver.
The committee has revealed a network of falsified documents allegedly used to secure government approvals for these bodies. Speaking to lawmakers, Walson-Jack admitted her office should have conducted more thorough checks in granting the waiver. Officials from these questionable agencies presented themselves at the Office of the Head of Service during the 2025 Annual Manpower Budget Defence with documents such as an Establishment Act and a Director-General’s appointment letter, which they claimed were legitimate.
She explained that standard civil service procedures require newly established federal agencies to provide an enabling Act and chief executive appointment letter before recruitment approval. Walson-Jack processed the request based on the submitted documents, which she described as an unprecedented situation in the Federal Civil Service.
“In nearly a century of service, we have never faced anything like this. Criminals often stay one step ahead of us,” she noted. After her personal review, she found the Establishment Act was not genuine. Her extensive legal experience helped her identify irregularities.
She also questioned the validity of the appointment letter supposedly issued by the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, noting discrepancies in the signatures compared to authentic documents.
“I’m not a forensic expert, but it was obvious to me that the signatures differed,” she remarked.
The committee chairman disclosed that forensic analysis by the Nigeria Police confirmed the signatures vastly differed from any authentic signature. Investigators determined both the purported Director-General’s appointment letter and the agency’s justification Act were falsified.
The chairman outlined that approvals from the Office of the Head of Service were obtained through fraudulent means. The ongoing investigation aims to uncover all involved in this scheme.
The House committee reiterated its commitment to ensuring accountability and curbing the misuse of forged documents in establishing governmental bodies, promising that those responsible would face appropriate legal consequences.
