A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the arrest of self-acclaimed Director-General of the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, after he failed to appear in court for his arraignment over allegations of forgery, conspiracy and impersonation.
Justice Mohammed Umar issued a bench warrant for Adeyemi’s arrest on Tuesday following an oral application by the prosecution after the defendant was absent when the case was called.
Adeyemi was expected to take his plea on an eight-count charge brought against him by the Nigeria Police Force over his alleged operation of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, an agency the Presidency has repeatedly maintained does not exist.
The latest development follows months of controversy surrounding Adeyemi’s claims that he was legitimately appointed to head the agency and his public exchanges with the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, which consistently denied the existence of the council and distanced the Presidency from documents presented by the defendant.
The disagreement eventually prompted the Office of the Chief of Staff to petition the Inspector-General of Police on October 17, 2025, requesting an investigation into what it described as forged presidential appointment letters and other official documents allegedly being circulated in the name of the Presidency.
Police investigations subsequently led to criminal charges against Adeyemi and two other suspects, identified simply as Femi and Anu, who remain at large.
When the matter came up for arraignment on Tuesday, prosecuting counsel Wisdom Madaki urged the court to issue a warrant for Adeyemi’s arrest following his absence.
His lawyer, Genesis Francis, told the court that his client stayed away because he feared for his life, adding that Adeyemi had written to President Bola Tinubu over alleged threats to his safety and wanted to remain alive to defend himself during the trial.
Responding, Justice Umar remarked, “The court will help him be alive,” before granting the prosecution’s application and ordering his arrest.
The case was thereafter adjourned until September 30, 2026, for arraignment.
According to the charge sheet filed by the police, Adeyemi is accused of conspiring with the two other suspects to forge several official government documents, including a purported presidential appointment letter allegedly signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The prosecution also alleged that the suspects forged State House letterheads, approval documents for the establishment of the purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, requests for staff account approvals, applications for office accommodation and official correspondence seeking collaboration with a federal ministry.
Investigators further accused Adeyemi of falsely presenting himself as the Director-General of the non-existent agency while allegedly operating from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja.
If found guilty, he could face up to 21 years’ imprisonment on the forgery-related charges, while the impersonation count carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison or the option of a fine.
Adeyemi’s absence from court came barely 24 hours after he appeared on Channels Television, where he denied going into hiding despite reports suggesting security agencies were searching for him.
During the interview, he insisted he was willing to face trial but claimed he had credible intelligence that his life was in danger due to several alleged assassination attempts.
He also repeated his controversial claim that he paid ₦400 million through an intermediary to facilitate his appointment as Director-General of the disputed agency. According to him, those who provided the funds have since petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Despite the criminal charges and repeated denials by the Presidency, Adeyemi has maintained that the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council is a legitimate government agency.
He has continued to call on President Bola Tinubu to establish an independent investigative panel comprising civil society organisations, anti-corruption agencies, legal practitioners, international observers and the media to examine the controversy.
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