The Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), Adeniyi Adeyemi, has denied allegations of forgery and impersonation brought against him by the Nigeria Police Force.
Adeyemi pleaded not guilty to all eight counts against him on Wednesday when he was arraigned before Justice Umar Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The charges relate to allegations that Adeyemi forged government documents, including an appointment letter purportedly issued by President Bola Tinubu and signed by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Adeyemi, however, rejected the allegations as the charges were read to him in court, entering a plea of not guilty to each count.
The prosecution alleged that Adeyemi, alongside two other suspects identified as “Femi, surname unknown” and “Anu, surname unknown,” forged the appointment letter on or about March 8, 2024.
The alleged offences are said to be punishable under the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, Director of Public Prosecution at the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF), informed the court that the Attorney-General had directed his office to take over the prosecution of the case from the police.
Oyedepo said the OAGF would review the facts and case file but urged the court to accept the existing charge and proceed with Adeyemi’s arraignment.
After the defendant entered his plea, Oyedepo asked the court to fix dates for the trial.
Adeyemi’s lawyer, Genesis Francis, subsequently informed the court that his client had filed a bail application, citing ill health as one of the grounds for his release.
Justice Mohammed noted the bail application and the Federal Government’s counter-application before fixing October 12 and 13 for the hearing of the bail application and trial.
The judge ordered that Adeyemi be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his bail application.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, also has two other defendants who are currently at large.
The prosecution has listed several witnesses it intends to call during the trial, including Gbajabiamila, officials of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, police officers, civil servants and individuals allegedly linked to the operations of the purported agency.
Hotel operators, a clergyman and persons said to have worked with Adeyemi at the alleged agency are also expected to testify.
The police had earlier obtained an arrest warrant against Adeyemi after he failed to appear for previous court proceedings.
The case stems from a controversy over the existence of the PFIPC, with Adeyemi previously challenging the Presidency’s position that the organisation was not an official government body.
Adeyemi had also accused Gbajabiamila of making conflicting statements regarding the PFIPC and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, while alleging that N400 million was paid through intermediaries in connection with his purported appointment.
He further claimed that an additional N200 million was requested, allegations that have not been substantiated.
Meanwhile, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is conducting a separate investigation into the alleged activities surrounding the purported agency following a directive from President Tinubu.
