Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who allegedly presented himself as the Director-General of the disputed Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), has been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged forgery, fraud and impersonation.
Adeyemi was brought before Justice Mohammed Umar on Wednesday and faced an eight-count charge bordering on the alleged forgery of government documents and other offences.
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The court subsequently ordered that he be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the commencement of the substantive hearing on October 12.
Adeyemi has been in detention since July 14, following his arrest on the strength of a bench warrant issued by the court.
The case is now being prosecuted by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice after it took over the matter from the police.
The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, is leading the prosecution.
The prosecution also asked the court to grant an accelerated hearing of the case.
Bail application
Counsel to Adeyemi, Genesis Francis, attempted to persuade the court to consider his client’s bail application during Wednesday’s proceedings.
Francis told the court that Adeyemi was suffering from a contagious ailment and had a medical appointment scheduled for Friday.
The prosecution opposed the request, arguing that the government had sufficient medical facilities to attend to the defendant’s health needs while in custody.
Justice Umar ruled that the bail application would be considered on the next adjourned date.
Several witnesses are expected to testify during the proceedings.
Those listed include the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Paul Emmanuel; Jeremiah Imoukhede; and Ituah Sylvester.
Other proposed witnesses include civil servants from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Akimbo Shola and Adamu Balongu, as well as a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Adeyemi’s claims over PFIPC
Before his arrest, Adeyemi spoke to a television station from a location where he was staying, claiming that he had withdrawn from public view because of threats to his life.
He denied claims that he was deliberately hiding from law enforcement agencies to avoid investigation into his alleged involvement in the PFIPC controversy.
Adeyemi also maintained an earlier allegation that he paid N400 million through a proxy to President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, in order to secure his appointment as Director-General of the disputed council.
He claimed that individuals from whom he borrowed the money had subsequently reported the matter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Adeyemi has also rejected claims that the PFIPC was non-existent.
He previously called for an independent, multi-stakeholder panel to investigate the controversy surrounding an alleged N1.3 billion budget provision for the council in the 2026 Appropriation Bill.
In an open letter addressed to President Tinubu, Adeyemi said he was ready to submit documentary evidence and cooperate fully with investigators if an independent panel was established.
He proposed that the panel include representatives of civil society organisations, the Nigerian Bar Association, independent media organisations, international financial institutions, human rights groups and diplomatic missions.
He also recommended the involvement of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the EFCC.
Adeyemi said his decision to remain away from public view was also influenced by the circumstances surrounding the death of Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, whom he described as an important intermediary in the matter.
Tanimola was reportedly among those linked to the alleged controversy and was said to have died in a fire at a hotel in Abuja.
Police investigation
An interim police investigation reportedly alleged that Adeyemi was the principal suspect in a scheme involving the alleged forgery of appointment letters and other official documents.
According to the investigation, the documents were allegedly created to give the impression that the PFIPC was a legitimate Federal Government agency.
The investigation followed a petition submitted by the Office of the Chief of Staff to the Inspector-General of Police on October 17, 2025.
The petition concerned the alleged activities of individuals accused of forging official appointment letters purportedly issued by the Office of the Chief of Staff.
Preliminary findings allegedly showed that some of the documents contained falsified signatures, reference numbers, official seals and the Nigerian Coat of Arms.
The documents were allegedly used to appoint people into positions within the disputed PFIPC.
Adeyemi was identified as the principal suspect and was accused of presenting himself as the council’s Director-General while operating from an office at the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja.
One of the individuals allegedly connected to the matter, Tanimola, later died in a hotel fire in Abuja.
Charges before the court
One of the charges alleges that Adeyemi, alongside two other individuals identified as Femi and Anu, who are currently at large, forged presidential letter-headed papers on or about March 8, 2024.
The prosecution said the alleged offence was committed within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court and is punishable under Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
Another count alleges that Adeyemi and the other suspects forged a request for collaboration with the Ministry of an unnamed department concerning land requisition and office facilities across the 36 states.
The document was allegedly presented as having originated from the State House in Abuja.
The prosecution said the alleged offence also falls under Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
Adeyemi has pleaded not guilty, meaning the allegations remain to be tested through the court proceedings.
The court has fixed October 12 for the commencement of the substantive hearing, while the issue of bail is also expected to be considered on the adjourned date.
