PFIPC Scandal: Court Grants Alleged ‘Fake’ DG Access To Lawyers, Denies Bail

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the police and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice to grant Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the alleged “fake” Director-General (DG) of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), access to his lawyers.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu gave the order on Thursday while ruling on a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Adeyemi, who has been in detention since July over allegations linked to the controversial PFIPC.

However, the court declined to order his release on bail pending the conclusion of investigations into the allegations against him.

Instead, the judge directed Adeyemi to serve copies of his suit on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the police and the AGF, giving them an opportunity to respond.

Justice Egwuatu ordered the respondents to, within 72 hours, show cause why the reliefs sought by the applicant should not be granted.

Adeyemi had approached the court through his lawyers, seeking six reliefs, including an order directing the respondents to release him on bail pending the conclusion of the case against him.

He also asked the court to grant him access to medical practitioners of his choice and restrain the police from interrogating him or obtaining any statement from him without his lawyers present.

Specifically, he prayed the court to order that “for so long as the applicant remains in custody, the respondents do permit the applicant unimpeded access to legal practitioners of his own choosing at all reasonable hours.”

While the court granted the request for access to legal representation, it declined to grant the other reliefs pending a response from the respondents.

The case was subsequently adjourned until September 9 for the respondents to show cause.

Adeyemi was arrested following a bench warrant issued by the Federal High Court on July 14. He was reportedly apprehended at his hideout in Osun State.

Although the federal government has yet to charge him before the court over the latest PFIPC allegations, he is facing an existing eight-count criminal charge filed by the police on November 27, 2025.

Justice Mohammed Umar had fixed September 30 for Adeyemi to enter his plea in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025.

The charges border on alleged forgery, fraud and impersonation.

Those listed to testify in the case include the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Paul Emmanuel; Jeremiah Imoukhede; and Ituah Sylvester.

Other witnesses are civil servants in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), Akimbo Shola and Adamu Balongu, as well as a Deputy Superintendent of Police.

Before his arrest, Adeyemi granted an interview to Channels Television from his hideout, where he claimed that he withdrew from public view because of threats to his life.

He denied hiding from law enforcement agencies to evade investigation into his alleged involvement in the PFIPC controversy.

Adeyemi also maintained his allegation that he paid N400 million through a proxy to President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, to secure his appointment as DG of the disputed council.

According to him, individuals from whom he borrowed the N400 million have since petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the matter.

However, an interim police investigation report alleged that Adeyemi forged appointment letters and other official documents to create the impression that the PFIPC was a legitimate federal government agency.

The police said the investigation followed a petition from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President dated October 17, 2025, concerning the activities of individuals allegedly forging official appointment letters purportedly issued by the office.

The petition reportedly stated that preliminary findings showed that the documents contained falsified signatures, reference numbers, official seals and the Nigerian Coat of Arms.

The documents were allegedly used to appoint individuals into the purported PFIPC.

Adeyemi, identified as the principal suspect, allegedly presented himself as the DG of the council and operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja.

One of the persons allegedly linked to the controversy, Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola, reportedly died in a fire at a hotel in Abuja.

Adeyemi has denied claims that the PFIPC was non-existent and has called for an independent, multi-stakeholder panel to investigate the controversy surrounding the alleged N1.3 billion budgetary provision for the council in the 2026 Appropriation Bill.

In an open letter to President Tinubu, Adeyemi said he was ready to provide documentary evidence and cooperate fully with investigators if an independent panel was constituted.

He proposed that the panel include representatives of civil society organisations, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), independent media organisations, international financial institutions, human rights groups and diplomatic missions.

He also called for the involvement of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the EFCC.

Adeyemi said his decision to stay off the radar was further reinforced by what he described as the controversial circumstances surrounding Tanimola’s death, whom he identified as a key intermediary in the matter.

One of the counts against Adeyemi reads:

“That you, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew, ‘M,’ 38 years of age, of 2nd Floor, Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja, Femi (surname unknown), and Anu (surname unknown), now at large, on or about the 8th day of March 2024, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, forged presidential letter-headed papers, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

Another count alleges:

“That you, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew, ‘M,’ 38 years of age, of 2nd Floor, Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja, Femi (surname unknown), and Anu (surname unknown), now at large, on or about the 8th day of March 2024, forged a request for collaboration with the Ministry in the area of land requisition and offices across the 36 states of the Federation, purported to have been issued from the State House, Abuja, Nigeria, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.”

Another count accused him of impersonating the DG of the PFIPC.

It reads,“That you, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew, ‘M,’ 38 years of age, of 2nd Floor, Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja, Femi (surname unknown), and Anu (surname unknown), now at large, sometime between 2024 and 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, falsely impersonated the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 179 of the Penal Code.”

Adeyemi has denied the allegations.

The court is expected to hear from the police and the AGF on September 9, when they are to show cause why the reliefs sought by the detained suspect should not be granted.