The Nigeria Police Force has arrested Adeniyi Adeyemi, who claims to be the Director-General of the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), in Osun State.
His arrest came hours after Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
Security sources said operatives from the Force Headquarters’ Federal Investigation Department/Intelligence Response Team (IRT), led by Moses Lohor, arrested Adeyemi at a village in Ijesaland after he had reportedly been tracked by the Department of State Services (DSS) for five days before the case was handed over to the police.
Osun State Police Command spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed the arrest, adding that Adeyemi was being taken to Abuja.
Justice Umar approved the arrest warrant following an application by police counsel, Wisdom Madaki, after Adeyemi failed to appear in court to answer an eight-count charge bordering on forgery, fraud and impersonation in suit FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025.
Although defence counsel Genesis Francis appeared in court, the prosecution told the judge that the defendant had missed court proceedings several times.
According to the prosecution, it was the fifth hearing in the matter, with previous adjournments attributed to the defendant. Citing Section 394 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, the prosecution requested a warrant for his arrest.
The defence opposed the application, arguing that Adeyemi stayed away because of alleged threats to his life. His lawyer maintained that the defendant had appeared in court on May 16 before the case was adjourned and claimed he feared for his safety.
In his ruling, Justice Umar noted that although the case was filed on November 27, 2025, proceedings only commenced on December 4, 2025, and Adeyemi had appeared in court only once before missing four consecutive sittings.
The judge directed security agencies to arrest and produce him before the court on September 30 for arraignment.
Among those listed as prosecution witnesses are the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, Paul Emmanuel, Jeremiah Imoukhuede, Ituah Sylvester, officials of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), Akimbo Shola and Adamu Balogun, as well as a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Before his arrest, Adeyemi told Channels Television that he was not evading security agencies but had gone out of public view because of threats to his life.
He also repeated his claim that he paid N400 million to secure his appointment as PFIPC Director-General, alleging that those who provided the funds later reported him to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Police investigations allege that Adeyemi forged appointment letters and official documents to portray the PFIPC as a legitimate Federal Government agency.
The investigation followed a petition submitted by the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President to the Inspector-General of Police on October 17, 2025, alleging the use of forged appointment letters bearing fake signatures, reference numbers, official seals and the Nigerian Coat of Arms.
Investigators alleged that Adeyemi presented himself as PFIPC Director-General and operated from an office inside the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja.
One of the individuals linked to the case, Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, reportedly died in a hotel fire in Abuja.
Despite the allegations, Adeyemi has continued to insist that the PFIPC exists and has called for an independent investigation into the alleged N1.3 billion budget allocation to the council in the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
In an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, he said he was prepared to provide documentary evidence before a panel comprising civil society groups, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), media organisations, international institutions, human rights groups, diplomatic missions, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the EFCC.
Meanwhile, former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has urged President Tinubu to suspend Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila to allow an independent investigation into the allegations against him.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku said the government should adopt the same approach used by former President Muhammadu Buhari when he suspended former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, during an investigation.
Atiku said no public official should be above scrutiny and insisted that Gbajabiamila should be given the opportunity to clear his name through an independent probe.
Gbajabiamila has faced allegations from Adeyemi, who claimed the Chief of Staff collected N400 million to facilitate his appointment.
The controversy has also drawn attention to the operations of the PFIPC, which allegedly functioned as a government agency despite questions over its legal status, reportedly receiving funding in the 2026 budget, operating from the Federal Secretariat and recruiting staff.
