Developing: Judge issues warrant for purported PFIPC Director-General Adeyemi's detention amid authenticity concerns

The Federal High Court in Abuja has taken a significant step by issuing a bench warrant for the arrest of Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, the self-styled Director-General of the alleged "non-existent" Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, following his failure to appear for his arraignment.

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Justice Mohammed Umar issued the arrest order after the police lawyer, Mr. Wisdom Madaki, made an oral application, citing that Adeyemi had repeatedly failed to appear for his trial, with this being the fifth time the case was coming up.

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Adeyemi was billed to take his plea on an eight-count charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, relating to forgery, fraud, and impersonation, but his absence led to the prosecution counsel urging the court to issue a warrant for his arrest, relying on Section 394 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.

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The defence lawyer, Mr. Genesis Francis, opposed the application, blaming Adeyemi's absence on alleged threats to his life and stating that his client had been present for his arraignment on May 16, after which the case was adjourned.

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Francis added that since then, the case had become a matter of public importance, and there had been many threats to Adeyemi's life, making him afraid to appear in court, and that he needed to be alive to face trial.

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Justice Umar, after listening to both lawyers, ruled in favor of the prosecution, stating that he was minded to accede to the application for the issuance of a warrant of arrest against Adeyemi, given that the defendant had only appeared before the court once since the charge was filed on November 27, 2025.

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The court noted that proceedings did not commence until December 4, 2025, and that since then, Adeyemi had failed to appear before the court on four consecutive dates, leading to the issuance of a warrant mandating security agencies to arrest and produce him on September 30 for arraignment.

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A list of witnesses, including the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, Paul Emmanuel, Jeremiah Imoukhede, and Ituah Sylvester, are expected to testify in the matter, along with civil servants and a Deputy Superintendent of Police.

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Adeyemi, in an interview with Channels Television, stated that his withdrawal from public view was due to alleged threats to his life, and he dismissed the idea that he was hiding from law enforcement agencies to evade investigation into the alleged PFIPC fraud.

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Adeyemi maintained that he was ready to show his face and was not hiding, but rather fearing for his life, and he also maintained his allegation that he paid N400 million to President Tinubu's Chief of Staff, Gbajabiamila, to secure his appointment as DG of the disputed council.

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According to Adeyemi, those from whom he borrowed the N400 million had since dragged him before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and an interim police investigation report had exposed how he allegedly forged appointment letters and official documents to create the impression that the PFIPC was a legitimate federal government agency.

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The investigation was initiated after the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) on October 17, 2025, over the activities of individuals allegedly forging official appointment letters, which were used to appoint individuals into the non-existent PFIPC.

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Adeyemi, who has denied that the PFIPC was non-existent, demanded an independent, multi-stakeholder investigative panel to probe the controversy surrounding the alleged N1.3 billion budget insertion for the Council in the 2026 Appropriation Bill, and he offered to provide documentary evidence and cooperate with investigators once an independent panel was constituted.

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Adeyemi recommended that the independent investigative panel include representatives of civil society organisations, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), independent media organisations, international financial institutions, human rights groups, and diplomatic missions, as well as the ICPC and the EFCC.