PFIPC CONTROVERSY: COURT REMANDS ADEYEMI IN KUJE PRISON OVER ALLEGED FORGERY, IMPERSONATION

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The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday remanded the Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, Adeniyi Adeyemi, in 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 after the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), took over the prosecution of the case.

The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), represented the Federal Government in court.

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The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, was initially filed 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 charges were read to him, Adeyemi pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Oyedepo informed the court that the AGF had directed the Ministry of Justice to take over the matter from the police and that the case file would be reviewed.

He, however, asked the court to adopt the existing charge and proceed with the arraignment.

Following Adeyemi’s plea, the prosecution argued that the defendant had joined issues with the government and was therefore ready to face trial.

Oyedepo subsequently applied for Adeyemi to be remanded in custody, citing circumstances surrounding his activities before his arrest and arraignment.

Defence counsel, Genesis Francis, urged the court to consider his client’s bail application, which he said had already been filed and served on the prosecution.

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

The prosecution opposed the immediate release of the defendant, with Oyedepo assuring the court that Adeyemi would receive appropriate medical care while in custody.

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

Justice Umar, however, declined to hear the bail application, citing the number of matters listed on the court’s cause list.

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

Adeyemi’s arraignment followed his earlier failure to appear before the court, which prompted Justice Umar to issue an arrest warrant after an application by police counsel, Wisdom Madaki.

He was arrested about 24 hours after the warrant was issued.

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

According to the charge, Adeyemi allegedly conspired with the two suspects still at large to forge official documents.

One of the counts specifically accused him of forging an appointment letter purportedly issued by President Bola Tinubu and signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

He was also accused of forging presidential letterhead and other documents allegedly originating from the State House.

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

The prosecution further alleged that he forged documents relating to staff account approval and the purported commencement of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the PFIPC.

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

The case is linked to the controversy surrounding the purported PFIPC and allegations that Adeyemi presented the organisation as a government body backed by the Presidency.

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

The ICPC subsequently said Adeyemi’s appointment letter was fraudulent and did not originate from the Presidency.

The controversy intensified after Adeyemi alleged that he paid N400m through an intermediary as part of an arrangement to secure his appointment as the council’s Director-General.

He also alleged that Gbajabiamila was involved in the payment arrangement, a claim the Chief of Staff denied.

The dispute later resulted in a separate N15bn suit filed by Gbajabiamila against Adeyemi over alleged bribery.

The police investigation was reportedly initiated following a petition from the Office of the Chief of Staff concerning alleged attempts by individuals to forge 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 them are alleged to have worked with Adeyemi at the purported agency.

Adeyemi has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to all eight counts.

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