From Victor Osula, Abuja
Following court order for his arrest after he failed to appear for his defense on Tuesday, the Nigeria Police Force arrested Adeniyi Adeyemi, the self-styled Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC.
Adeyemi was reportedly arrested at his hideout in Osun State shortly after Justice Mohammed Umar ordered security agencies to arrest him for failing to appear in court for his scheduled arraignment.
He is expected to be transferred to the Force Headquarters in Abuja for further processing and prosecution.
The arrest followed Tuesday’s proceedings at the Federal High Court, where Adeyemi was expected to take his plea alongside two co-defendants in an eight-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025.
However, although his counsel, Genesis Francis, announced his appearance, Adeyemi failed to appear in court.
In an oral application, police prosecutor Wisdom Madaki urged the court to issue a bench warrant for the defendant’s arrest, arguing that the matter had already been adjourned multiple times at Adeyemi’s instance without his taking a plea.
Madaki relied on Section 394 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) in asking the court to compel the defendant’s appearance.
Responding, Francis told the court he had been unable to persuade his client to attend proceedings because Adeyemi feared for his safety.
According to the lawyer, Adeyemi had written an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, expressing fears that his life was in danger following the widespread public attention generated by the criminal case.
Justice Umar, however, observed that the court would “help him to stay alive” before granting the prosecution’s application.
In a brief ruling, the judge noted that the charges against Adeyemi were filed on November 27, 2025, while proceedings commenced on December 4, 2025.
He further observed that the defendant had appeared in court only once and had failed to attend four subsequent sittings, resulting in repeated adjournments.
Consequently, Justice Umar ordered all security agencies to arrest Adeyemi wherever he was found and produce him before the court.
The Federal Government, through the Nigeria Police Force, has accused Adeyemi and two others of multiple offences, including forgery, fraud, and impersonation.
The charge lists the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the complainant, while Adeniyi Adeyemi, Femi (Surname Unknown), and Anu (Surname Unknown) are named as the first, second, and third defendants.
Investigators allege that Adeyemi forged a presidential appointment letter purportedly issued by President Bola Tinubu and signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, appointing him Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.
He is also accused of forging presidential letterheads dated March 8, 2024, falsely presenting himself as head of the non-existent agency and fabricating requests for office accommodation purportedly originating from the State House.
According to investigators, Adeyemi allegedly operated the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council from the second floor of the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja, despite the agency having no legal existence within the Federal Government.
Court documents show that the prosecution has assembled a lengthy list of witnesses, including Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, whose petition dated October 17, 2025, forms part of the evidence.
Other witnesses include Paul Emmanuel, Jeremiah Imoukhede, and Ituah Sylvester; officials of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), including Akimbo Shola; and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Adamu Balongu.
Also expected to testify are Ojo Victor, Omeh Amarachukwu, and Wakili Saidu, who were allegedly posted to work under Adeyemi at the purported agency, as well as Mrs Joy Ngwoke, owner of Kachi Hotel in Abuja, and Ven. Okoriko, pastor of St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, Maitama.
The prosecution intends to tender the police investigation report, Gbajabiamila’s petition, the alleged forged appointment letter, correspondence with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeking a note verbale, documents relating to approvals allegedly obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), requests for self-accounting status submitted to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, and other official documents, witness statements, and photographs.
The criminal prosecution comes amid a broader Federal Government investigation into the activities of the alleged fake presidential agency.
On July 7, President Bola Tinubu directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the operations of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council after its activities came to light.
The President also directed the anti-corruption agency to conclude its investigation within 30 days as authorities seek to uncover the full extent of the alleged fraud and identify all those connected with the scheme
