Key Takeaways
- Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi was arrested for forgery and impersonation related to the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council.
- Adeyemi is accused of creating fake documents, including a presidential appointment letter and State House letterheads.
- The case has sparked controversy, with the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, denying the council's existence.
The Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, has been taken into custody following a bench warrant issued by a Federal High Court in Abuja. Adeyemi was picked up by operatives attached to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in Osun State, less than five hours after Justice Mohammed Umar ordered his immediate arrest for failing to appear before the court.
Adeyemi was billed to take his plea on an eight-count charge relating to forgery, fraud, and impersonation. However, he failed to appear, prompting the prosecution counsel, Wisdom Madaki, to urge the court to issue a warrant for his arrest. The defence counsel, Genesis Francis, opposed the application, citing threats to Adeyemi's life as the reason for his absence.
Background of the Case
The controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council began when Adeyemi claimed to be the Director-General of the council, despite the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, denying its existence. Adeyemi countered, describing the denial as a "cloud of public misrepresentation, institutional denial and a deliberate attempt to silence legitimate questions that concern matters of national interest."
The police investigation revealed that Adeyemi allegedly forged appointment letters and official documents to create the impression that the PFIPC was a legitimate federal government agency. The charge sheet read in part, "That you Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew ‘M’ 38 years of 2nd Floor, Federal Secretariat Complex Abuja, Femi, surname unknown and Anu, surname unknown, now at large, on or about 8th day of March, 2024 within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court forged appointment letter purported to have been appointed by his Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, President Federal Republic of Nigeria, and signed by Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 1(2)(c) of Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.