The Nigeria Police Force has arrested Mr Jamilu Isa Yankwashi, a senior Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) official, for alleged criminal conspiracy and impersonating the president of the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN).
Operatives from the inspector general of police’s office arrested him at the FCDA Secretariat’s third-floor conference hall in Area 11, Abuja.
A warrant issued by the Chief Magistrate Court I, Karu, on May 23, 2025, accused Yankwashi of criminal conspiracy and impersonation and directed police to arrest him immediately.
The registrar general of CIPMN, Mr Henry Ifeanyi Mbadiwe, who confirmed the arrest, said the suspect was apprehended while attempting to conduct a five-day training and induction exercise for supposed CIPMN members.
Mbadiwe said Yankwashi, now in custody at force headquarters, had falsely presented himself as CIPMN president for years—a position he holds no legal claim to. He accused him of forging documents, misleading government agencies, and diverting public funds through a Zenith Bank account falsely bearing the institute’s name.
“For years, Jamilu has impersonated the office of the CIPMN president and has collected public funds under false pretences. He has claimed the authority to issue licenses and host events despite a Presidential order dissolving the former council,” he said.
Mbadiwe also linked Yankwashi to Mrs Victoria Okoronkwo, the former chairman of the CIPMN council dissolved by former President Muhammadu Buhari. He accused both individuals of persistently presenting themselves as council officials and undermining the activities of the institute’s legitimate leadership.
“Jamilu has made false statements to the police and deceived the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment into believing he has a legitimate claim to the institute’s leadership,” Mbadiwe alleged.
“He has also penetrated the offices of the speaker of the National Assembly, the minister of defence, and the director-general of the Bureau of Public Procurement to give false credibility to his claims.”
The registrar condemned Yankwashi’s continued disregard for the presidential order that reconstituted the current CIPMN council, describing his arrest as “a significant moment of accountability.”
“This arrest sends a strong message: no one, regardless of position or connections, is above the law,” Mbadiwe said. “Federal institutions like CIPMN are not personal property, and the era of using nepotism and deceit to undermine them must end.”
He urged the Inspector General of Police to see the case to its logical conclusion.
“The Institute urges the IGP to shield the police force from further embarrassment by ensuring that this case is not swept under the carpet. The Nigerian public deserves justice and protection from such abuse of office,” Mbadiwe added.
