Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has filed a N15 billion defamation suit against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, following allegations that he demanded a 48 per cent kickback from a N27.3 billion take-off grant approved for a federal agency.
Adeyemi, who claims to be the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), was arrested by police in Osun State on Tuesday, hours after a Federal High Court in Abuja issued a warrant for his arrest.
The dispute stems from a June 25, 2026, press conference where Adeyemi accused Gbajabiamila of demanding a 48 per cent kickback from the agency’s N27.3 billion grant. He also alleged that the Chief of Staff received N400 million through a proxy and later demanded an additional N200 million.
Gbajabiamila had earlier given Adeyemi 72 hours to withdraw the allegations and issue a public apology or face legal action.
In the suit filed on Thursday, the Chief of Staff is seeking N10 billion in general damages, N5 billion in aggravated damages, N200 million as the cost of the suit, and a court order directing Adeyemi to publish a full retraction and apology in five national newspapers. He also wants the apology pinned on all social media platforms and online channels where the allegations were published for 30 days.
Through his legal team led by Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), Gbajabiamila described the allegations as false, malicious and defamatory, insisting that he has never met or communicated with Adeyemi or authorised anyone to demand or receive money on his behalf.
According to court documents, Adeyemi also alleged that Babatunde Tanimola, whom he described as an intermediary, died in a hotel fire in Utako, Abuja, on October 22, 2025, and claimed he survived an assassination attempt along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway in September 2025. He further alleged that security agencies were instructed to abandon efforts to recover mobile phones he said contained evidence.
Gbajabiamila’s lawyers noted that after receiving a cease-and-desist notice published on July 7, 2026, Adeyemi repeated the allegations during interviews, including one with social media influencer VeryDarkMan and another appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on July 13, 2026.
The Chief of Staff said Adeyemi admitted during the VeryDarkMan interview that he had never met him, never verified his identity through a video call or any other means, and relied entirely on the late Tanimola for communication.
Court filings also revealed that Adeyemi is facing criminal prosecution before a Federal High Court in Abuja in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/652/2026, involving allegations of forged presidential documents and forged appointment letters.
The FCT High Court has directed Adeyemi to enter an appearance within 14 days of being served with the court processes or risk judgment being entered against him.
In his witness statement, Gbajabiamila maintained that the allegations have severely damaged his personal and professional reputation. He denied demanding any kickback, receiving N400 million or any other funds, interfering with law enforcement agencies, or having any connection with the alleged incidents involving Adeyemi or the late Tanimola.
He said he chose to pursue the matter through the courts rather than the media to protect both his reputation and the integrity of the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.
