From Victor Osula, Abuja
An estate developer Mr Gbenga Collins, has told the House Ad-hoc Committee investigating the activities of the purported agency that he was allegedly swindled of N400 million by the self-styled Director-General of the fake council, Adeniyi Adeyemi, under the guise of securing a lucrative Federal Government contract.
The testimony which introduced a new twist to the investigation by a House of Representatives probe Committee has opened a fresh front in its investigation into the activities of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, PFIPC.
The Committee also summoned the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, to explain how vehicles allegedly used by the fake agency came to bear official Federal Government registration numbers.
The committee, chaired by Yusuf Gagdi, expressed grave concern that official government number plates, police escorts, security personnel, and an office operating within the Federal Secretariat were allegedly deployed to create the impression that PFIPC was a legitimate government institution, enabling the suspect to gain the confidence of unsuspecting victims.
Giving evidence before the committee on Tuesday, Collins narrated how he met Adeyemi during a programme in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, in December 2024 before being invited to Abuja in early 2025 for what was presented as a business opportunity.
Collins, Managing Director of Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited, an agribusiness firm established in 2017, said he was picked up at the airport in a Lexus SUV bearing Federal Government registration plates and driven to Adeyemi’s office at the Federal Secretariat.
According to him, the atmosphere at the office immediately reinforced his belief that he was dealing with a genuine government official.
“When I got there, I met him in his office. There were many prominent people waiting to see him, while security officers guarded the premises. Everything I saw suggested he was genuinely heading a government agency,” he told lawmakers.
He further stated that Adeyemi moved around with police escorts and official vehicles carrying government number plates, making it virtually impossible for him to suspect any wrongdoing.
“It was my first time in Abuja. I saw police officers with him, and the vehicle that picked me up bore Federal Government registration plates. Everything pointed to a genuine government agency,” Collins said.
He added that Adeyemi introduced himself as Director-General of both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) and the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Collins told the committee that Adeyemi later informed him of plans to renovate and furnish what he described as the official residence allocated to him as Director-General.
He said he was personally taken to inspect the property alongside members of Adeyemi’s staff and security personnel before discussions culminated in what appeared to be a formal contract award.
According to Collins, he received a contract award letter, a scope of work, and an agreement between the purported agency and Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited.
However, before mobilisation could commence, Adeyemi allegedly demanded N400 million as proof that the company possessed the financial capacity to execute the project.
“He said I had to demonstrate financial capacity by paying N400 million and assured me that the payment would fast-track mobilisation,” Collins testified.
Believing the process was genuine, Collins said he sourced the money from investors and business associates who trusted his judgment because he had personally visited the office and inspected the project.
He disclosed that the N400 million was paid in five instalments between May and July 2025.
According to him, four payments totalling N380 million were transferred into a Guaranty Trust Bank account belonging to World Entrepreneurs Limited, while the remaining N20 million was paid into an Access Bank account belonging to Sunshine Confectionery and Catering Services.
Despite repeated assurances that mobilisation would begin in August 2025, Collins said nothing happened.
“He kept telling me they were handling security issues. Later, he promised payment would come in November, but eventually he stopped taking my calls,” he said.
Collins said mounting pressure from investors forced him to seek legal advice, after which his lawyer informed him that he had most likely been defrauded.
A petition was subsequently submitted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on November 13, 2025.
He told lawmakers that the anti-graft agency commenced investigations after he adopted the petition on November 19, inviting several persons linked to the bank accounts that received the funds.
According to Collins, EFCC investigators informed him that Adeyemi repeatedly failed to honour invitations, allegedly citing ill health through his lawyer.
“I have been frustrated. Those who contributed the money are mounting pressure on me. I have started selling my property, and my business is no longer doing well,” Collins lamented.
He further disclosed that during questioning by the police Cybercrime Unit, Adeyemi allegedly admitted collecting the N400 million.
During cross-examination, Chairman Yusuf Gagdi asked Collins whether the N400 million payment amounted to a bribe.
The businessman rejected the suggestion, insisting that he believed it was merely a condition imposed to facilitate mobilisation for the contract.
Lawmakers also questioned why he accepted the contract without complying with the Public Procurement Act.
Collins admitted that he did not follow the due procurement process but maintained that every circumstance surrounding the transaction convinced him he was dealing with a genuine government agency.
He also cited his personal relationship with Adeyemi, noting that both men hail from Ogbomoso and first met at a social function in late 2024.
Following the testimony, committee members expressed outrage over the ease with which the fake agency allegedly operated using official government vehicles, police escorts, and Federal Government registration numbers.
The lawmakers observed that the government number plates were among the strongest factors that persuaded Collins and others to believe the agency was genuine.
The committee consequently summoned FRSC Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, to appear before it on Thursday to explain the process for issuing official Federal Government registration numbers and clarify how vehicles allegedly linked to the fake agency obtained them.
The lawmakers indicated that the appearance of the FRSC chief would help determine whether the registration numbers were legitimately issued, fraudulently obtained, or the product of institutional compromise.
Responding to public concerns over Adeyemi’s absence from the hearing, Gagdi explained that the suspect remains in police custody under a valid court order and that the National Assembly would not interfere with ongoing judicial proceedings.
He, however, disclosed that the committee would question Adeyemi at an undisclosed location and date in the presence of his lawyers and law enforcement officials to avoid jeopardising investigations by the EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and other security agencies.
“We will not announce when or where we will meet him. Whether he comes before this committee or this committee goes to him, what is important is that we obtain the clarifications we require,” Gagdi said.
He added that the committee would conclude its public hearings this week before presenting preliminary findings to the public, ahead of the submission of its final report to the House of Representatives upon resumption.
