The Nigerian Police have arrested Adeniyi Matthew Adeyemi, the man accused of impersonating the director general of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), a body the presidency has labelled fictitious. The arrest occurred on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, after Adeyemi had been in hiding following a police manhunt triggered by allegations of forgery, impersonation, and operating an unauthorised government agency.
Background of the PFIPC Scandal
The PFIPC was allegedly established in 2024 with the aim of attracting foreign investment to Nigeria, but no completed deals have been recorded. According to charges filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Adeyemi and two co-defendants used forged official documents to set up and run the council, opened multiple bank accounts in its name, and sought formal government recognition for an agency that authorities say never legally existed. The presidency disowned the PFIPC and stated that its founding documents were forged.
Investigations by the BBC revealed that the PFIPC had secured office space within Abuja's federal secretariat, opened accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a budget allocation of 1.3 billion naira (approximately $950,000). However, the Accountant-General's Office stated that the PFIPC never held an operational central bank account and received neither public funds nor salaries.
Court Order and Arrest
A Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier ordered Adeyemi's arrest, which preceded his eventual detention by police. Before disappearing, Adeyemi maintained his innocence to local media, insisting the council was lawfully established, and pledged to appear in court. He also accused senior government officials of soliciting bribes during his appointment process and attempting to seize control of the council's finances, allegations the presidency has firmly denied.
The presidency said police forensic analysis confirmed that the signature of the president's chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, on the disputed appointment letter had been forged.
Tinubu Orders ICPC Investigation
President Bola Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the matter and submit a comprehensive report within 30 days. The probe will cover the use of forged appointment letters, attempts to secure diplomatic support and visa facilitation under false pretences, the opening of bank accounts with fraudulent documents, and the role of any public officer, private individual, or financial institution that may have enabled the alleged scheme.
Tinubu stated that the integrity of the presidency and federal institutions 'must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity and the exploitation of weaknesses in the public service,' adding that 'all persons found culpable are to be treated strictly in accordance with applicable law.'
Gbajabiamila's Response
Femi Gbajabiamila, through his solicitors, Pinheiro LP, gave Adeyemi 72 hours to withdraw what he described as false and defamatory allegations made against him in a widely circulated press conference or face both civil and criminal legal action. He also demanded a public apology, the removal of the alleged defamatory publications from all media platforms, and a written undertaking that no further allegations would be made against him.
The scandal has drawn calls from opposition politicians, civil society groups, and senior lawyers for an independent inquiry, with some demanding the resignation of Gbajabiamila over the forged documents bearing his name.
