The House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) scandal says it has uncovered 29 documents suspected to have been forged in what lawmakers described as an attempt to legitimise a non-existent government agency.
The revelation was made on Monday by the chairman of the committee, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, during the panel’s investigative hearing into the controversial agency.
According to Gagdi, the alleged forgery goes beyond a single document, with investigators uncovering forged approvals and official records purportedly issued by several government institutions.
“It is not only a letter that was suspected to be forged. We are dealing with documents that include what is said to be a forged Act of the National Assembly in an attempt to establish a fake agency,” Gagdi said.
He disclosed that investigators have so far identified 29 allegedly forged documents, including purported approvals from the State House, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Finance, and other government agencies.
According to the lawmaker, representatives of several affected institutions have already appeared before the committee and denied issuing the documents attributed to their offices.
Committee Orders IGP to Produce Suspect
The committee also directed the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to produce the self-acclaimed Director-General of the PFIPC, Adeyemi Adeniyi, before lawmakers by 12 noon on Wednesday.
Explaining the decision, Gagdi said the committee could not conclude its investigation without hearing directly from the suspect.
“This committee clearly needs the suspected DG to appear before this committee. People’s names are involved. People’s integrity is involved. Institutional names are involved. Institutional integrity is involved,” he said.
“It is not an option now. We will need him here to confirm some documents for us… to enable us to submit our report on time,” he added.
Police Confirm Criminal Charges
Representing the IGP, Assistant Commissioner of Police Bashir Abdullahi informed lawmakers that the Nigeria Police Force had already filed an eight-count charge against Adeyemi before the Federal High Court.
“The Nigerian Police Force investigated part of this case late last year and filed eight charges before a Federal High Court. The case is ongoing,” Abdullahi said.
He confirmed that investigations began after petitions from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, alleging that Adeyemi falsely presented himself as the Director-General of both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC) and the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).
The police alleged that the suspect attempted to obtain office accommodation at the Federal Secretariat, recruit about 300 personnel, secure a ₦1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act, and organise a World Investment Summit using the alleged fake agency.
When lawmakers compared signatures on documents attributed to the Office of the Chief of Staff with authentic records, the police witness stated:
“They are not the same.”
Accountant-General Explains How Agency Was Recognised
Also appearing before the committee, Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, explained that his office unknowingly processed requests from the purported council after receiving what appeared to be an authentic State House letter.
According to him, the Treasury created an administrative code for the agency after receiving a letter dated November 7, 2024, bearing a State House reference number.
However, investigations later revealed that the letter never originated from the Presidency.
“The letter that the Treasury received was respectfully addressed as coming from the State House,” Ogunjimi said.
He further disclosed that the Treasury’s response to the State House was intercepted before it reached the Presidency.
“The letter… did not reach the State House. It was hijacked, precisely by the same man who claimed to be the DG,” he said.
Despite processing administrative requests, Ogunjimi stressed that no public funds were released to the alleged agency.
“It is important to note that no funds were released under salaries, overhead, capital, or any form of intervention or special allocation to the council,” he stated.
He also revealed that although the council requested an establishment grant of ₦27.4 billion, the request was rejected because there was no budgetary provision for it.
The House committee said its investigation is ongoing and promised to submit a report that could lead to further action by relevant security agencies.
