Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has filed a ₦15 billion defamation lawsuit against Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi over allegations that he demanded a 48% kickback from a ₦27.3 billion government grant meant for a federal agency. The lawsuit was filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and seeks to clear Gbajabiamila's name of multi-billion naira kickback allegations.
Details of the Lawsuit
Gbajabiamila is asking the court to award him ₦10 billion in general damages, ₦5 billion in aggravated damages, and ₦200 million as the cost of the suit. Additionally, he seeks to compel Adeyemi to publish a full apology and retraction in five national newspapers and across all social media platforms where the allegations were published, with the apology remaining pinned for 30 days.
The legal action was filed by senior lawyers from Pinheiro LP, led by Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), alongside Folu Oguntade (SAN), Olukayode Enitan (SAN), and Chukwudi Enebeli (SAN), who described the allegations as false, malicious, and defamatory.
Gbajabiamila Denies Ever Meeting Adeyemi
The lawsuit stems from claims Adeyemi made during a press conference, where he alleged that Gbajabiamila demanded a 48% cut from the ₦27.3 billion government grant. Adeyemi also claimed that ₦400 million had already been paid through a proxy allegedly acting for the Chief of Staff, while another ₦200 million was requested to secure presidential approvals.
Gbajabiamila flatly denied the allegations. According to the court filing: “The claimant has never met the defendant, never held any meeting with him and has never authorised any intermediary, representative, agent or proxy to demand or receive money on his behalf.” He also denied ever requesting money, using proxies, influencing security agencies, or interfering in any investigation involving Adeyemi.
Claims About Hotel Fire and Assassination Attempt
The case also touches on Adeyemi's earlier claims involving the late Babatunde Tanimola, whom he described as the middleman between him and the Chief of Staff. Adeyemi alleged that Tanimola died in a hotel fire in Utako, Abuja, on October 22, 2025, barely a day after Gbajabiamila allegedly petitioned the police. He further claimed he escaped an assassination attempt along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway in September 2025 and alleged that security agencies stopped investigating the theft of his phones because of a "directive from above." Gbajabiamila denied having any knowledge of Tanimola's death or any alleged attempt on Adeyemi's life.
Interview with VeryDarkMan Now Part of Court Case
Court documents cite a filmed interview with VeryDarkMan where the defendant allegedly admitted he had never physically met or verified the identity of the Chief of Staff. Gbajabiamila's lawyers had already issued a cease-and-desist letter on July 6, 2026, demanding that Adeyemi withdraw the allegations. Instead of apologising, Adeyemi later appeared in an interview with social media personality VeryDarkMan, where, according to the claimant, he made statements that contradicted his original accusations. The Chief of Staff told the court that during the interview, Adeyemi admitted he had never met Gbajabiamila physically, never had a video call with him, and could not independently verify that the person he was communicating with was actually the Chief of Staff.
The court filing also says Adeyemi admitted all his communications were through the late Tanimola and that he could neither confirm nor deny whether Gbajabiamila was telling the truth, adding that he planned to hand over his documents to security agencies for verification. Despite those admissions, Gbajabiamila alleged that Adeyemi repeated the same allegations during an appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today on July 13, 2026.
Adeyemi Also Facing Criminal Charges
Beyond the civil defamation suit, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi is facing federal criminal charges over alleged document forgery and was recently arrested in Osun State. According to court documents, he is standing trial before the Federal High Court in Abuja in the case Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew & Others (Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/652/2026) over allegations involving forged presidential documents and forged appointment letters. Gbajabiamila argued that those same documents formed the basis of the public allegations made against him.
Gbajabiamila: 'I Built My Reputation Over Decades'
In his witness statement, the Chief of Staff maintained that he has never had any personal, professional, or official relationship with Adeyemi. He also denied demanding kickbacks, receiving money through proxies, abusing his office, manipulating law enforcement agencies, or intimidating journalists. Gbajabiamila told the court he had spent decades building his reputation through public service and that while public officials should expect scrutiny, false accusations of corruption and abuse of office should not go unchallenged. He said the allegations sparked widespread public discussion and led to enquiries from friends, associates, and colleagues both in Nigeria and abroad, causing serious damage to his reputation. According to him, he deliberately avoided responding through the media because he believed the courts were the proper place to resolve the matter. The Chief of Staff added that the lawsuit is aimed not only at protecting his personal reputation but also preserving the integrity of the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.
The FCT High Court has now directed Adeyemi to enter an appearance within 14 days after being served with the court processes or risk judgment being entered against him in default. The latest development comes just days after Adeyemi was reportedly arrested in Osun State by a special police team from the office of the Inspector-General of Police.
