The legal troubles surrounding the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) have taken a new twist after a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the arrest of its self-acclaimed Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi, for failing to appear in court.
Justice Muhammed Umar issued a bench warrant on Tuesday after Adeyemi was absent during his scheduled arraignment on charges bordering on forgery, fraud and impersonation.
Although his lawyer, Genesis Francis, was present in court, Adeyemi did not appear to take his plea on the eight-count charge filed against him.
During the proceedings, the prosecution, led by Wisdom Madaki, urged the court to issue a warrant of arrest, arguing that the defendant had repeatedly failed to honour court appearances despite several adjournments granted at his request.
According to the prosecution, this was the fifth time the matter had come before the court, with most of the delays allegedly caused by Adeyemi’s absence.
The prosecution relied on the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, arguing that the defendant’s continued failure to appear justified the issuance of a bench warrant.
However, the defence opposed the application, explaining that Adeyemi stayed away because of alleged threats to his life.
His lawyer also reminded the court that the defendant had previously appeared before the court during an earlier sitting before the case was adjourned.
After listening to both parties, Justice Umar ruled that the circumstances warranted Adeyemi’s arrest.
The judge noted that although the case was filed in November 2025, the defendant had appeared only once since proceedings began and had failed to attend court on four consecutive occasions afterward.
The court subsequently directed security agencies to arrest Adeyemi and produce him before the court on September 30, when he is expected to be formally arraigned on the charges.
The case is linked to the controversy surrounding the alleged PFIPC, an organisation the Presidency has maintained does not legally exist.
