Court sends ‘fake’ PFIPC DG Adeniyi to prison

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sent the alleged Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, Adeniyi Adeyemi, to the Kuje Correctional Centre after he pleaded not guilty to an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.

Adeyemi, 38, was arraigned before Justice Mohammed Umar on Wednesday following the takeover of the case by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, appeared for the Federal Government in the case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025.

Adeyemi pleads not guilty

The case was initially instituted by the Nigeria Police Force against Adeyemi and two other suspects identified in the charge as Femi and Anu, who are still at large.

After the eight counts were read to him, Adeyemi pleaded not guilty to all the allegations.

Oyedepo told the court that the Attorney-General had directed the Ministry of Justice to take over the prosecution from the police and that the case file would be reviewed.

He, however, urged the court to accept the existing charge and proceed with the arraignment.

Following Adeyemi’s plea, Oyedepo said the defendant had joined issues with the prosecution and had consequently put himself forward for trial.

The prosecutor then urged the court to remand Adeyemi in custody, citing the circumstances surrounding his conduct before his arrest and arraignment.

Defence seeks bail over medical appointment

Adeyemi’s counsel, Genesis Francis, asked the court to consider his client’s bail application, saying the application had already been filed and served on the prosecution.

Francis also informed the court that Adeyemi had a medical appointment scheduled for Friday over an ailment which he described as contagious.

The prosecution opposed the immediate release of the defendant.

Oyedepo, however, assured the court that Adeyemi would receive adequate medical attention while in custody.

He said the correctional facility had medical personnel and facilities capable of attending to the defendant’s medical needs.

Justice Umar declined to hear the bail application immediately, citing the volume of cases on the court’s cause list.

The judge consequently ordered Adeyemi’s remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter until October 12, 2026, for hearing of the bail application and continuation of the substantive trial.

Arrest followed failure to appear in court

Adeyemi’s arraignment followed his previous failure to appear in court.

Justice Umar had issued an arrest warrant against him following an application by police counsel, Wisdom Madaki.

He was subsequently arrested about 24 hours after the order was issued.

The prosecution alleges that Adeyemi operated the purported council from an office on the second floor of the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja.

The first count alleges that Adeyemi conspired with the two suspects still at large to forge official documents.

The second count specifically accuses him of forging an appointment letter purportedly issued by President Bola Tinubu and signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Prosecution alleges forgery of official documents

The prosecution also accused Adeyemi of forging presidential letter-headed papers and documents purportedly emanating from the State House.

Other allegations include the alleged forgery of requests for collaboration with government authorities, land requisition and office accommodation across the 36 states of the federation.

The charge further alleges that Adeyemi forged documents relating to staff account approval and the purported take-off of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the PFIPC.

In count five, the prosecution accused him of falsely presenting himself as the Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, contrary to Section 179 of the Penal Code.

Adeyemi has denied the allegations against him.

Controversy surrounds purported council

The case is part of a wider controversy surrounding the purported PFIPC and claims that Adeyemi presented the organisation as a presidentially backed government body.

The Presidency had denied that the council was an established government agency, while the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission was subsequently directed to investigate activities surrounding the purported council.

The ICPC later stated that Adeyemi’s appointment letter was fraudulent and did not originate from the Presidency.

The controversy escalated after Adeyemi alleged that he paid N400m through a middleman as part of a wider arrangement to secure his appointment as the council’s Director-General.

He also accused Gbajabiamila of involvement in the alleged payment arrangement, an allegation the Chief of Staff denied.

The dispute subsequently generated a separate N15bn suit filed by Gbajabiamila against Adeyemi over alleged bribery.

Prosecution lists witnesses

The police investigation was reportedly triggered by a petition from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President over the activities of persons allegedly involved in forging official appointment letters.

The prosecution has listed several witnesses it intends to call during the trial, including Gbajabiamila, officials of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, police officers and civil servants.

Other listed witnesses include Paul Emmanuel, Jeremiah Imoukhede, Ituah Sylvester, Akimbo Shola, Adamu Balongu, Ojo Victor, Omeh Amarachukwu and Wakili Saidu, among others.

Some of the witnesses are alleged to have worked with Adeyemi at the purported agency.

Adeyemi pleaded not guilty to all eight counts and remains entitled to the presumption of innocence until the allegations against him are determined by the court.

The court adjourned the matter until October 12, 2026, for hearing of his bail application and continuation of the substantive trial.