The Nigeria Police Force has arrested the self-acclaimed Director General of the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, in Osun State, hours after a Federal High Court in Abuja issued a bench warrant for his arrest over alleged forgery, fraud and impersonation.
Adeyemi was arrested shortly after Justice Mohammed Umar ordered security agencies to apprehend him for failing to appear in court for his arraignment.
The judge granted the prosecution’s application after Adeyemi was absent when the case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, was called on Tuesday.
Although his counsel, Genesis Francis, announced his appearance in court, the defendant was nowhere to be found.
Police prosecutor Wisdom Madaki told the court that Adeyemi had repeatedly frustrated the commencement of his trial by failing to honour court dates.
“My Lord, this is the fifth time this case is coming up, and all the adjournments have been at the instance of the defendant,” Madaki argued, urging the court to invoke Section 394 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.
Opposing the application, Adeyemi’s lawyer claimed his client stayed away because he feared for his life and had already written to President Bola Tinubu on the matter.
According to the lawyer, Adeyemi wanted to remain alive to face trial.
Justice Umar, however, dismissed the explanation, remarking, “The court will help him be alive,” before issuing a bench warrant for his arrest.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter until September 30, 2026, for arraignment.
Adeyemi is facing an eight-count charge filed by the Nigeria Police Force bordering on conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.
The prosecution alleged that he, alongside two other suspects identified only as Femi and Anu, who are currently at large, forged several government documents, including a purported presidential appointment letter allegedly signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The police further accused Adeyemi of operating a non-existent government agency known as the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja while falsely presenting himself as its Director General.
According to the charge sheet, the alleged forged documents include presidential appointment letters, State House letterheads, requests for office space, staff account approvals and letters seeking collaboration with federal ministries.
His arrest comes days after he publicly claimed he was not in hiding but had stayed away from public appearances because of alleged threats to his life. He had also called for an independent investigation into the controversy surrounding the purported agency.
