THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has re-arraigned Adeniyi Adeyemi, who allegedly paraded himself as the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).
Adeyemi was re-arraigned on 22 counts bordering on forgery, impersonation and fraud involving a purported ₦30.8 billion government funding request.
Adeyemi, who appeared before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The criminal case followed a dispute over the existence of the PFIPC, which became public in July after the Presidency disowned the organisation and described it as fictitious.
The Presidency also accused Adeyemi of parading himself as a government official and using forged documents to create the appearance that the organisation was an authorised federal agency.
The ICIR reported that the PFIPC appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act with an allocation of about N1.3 billion.
On July 7, Tinubu directed the ICPC to investigate the PFIPC controversy.
According to the Presidency, the council had never been established by law, executive approval or any other lawful government act.
In the latest re-arrignment, the ICPC alleged that Adeyemi forged official government documents to present the purported council as a legitimate government agency and secure official recognition, office accommodation and public funds.
According to the amended charges, he allegedly sought more than N27 billion as a take-off grant for the council and an additional N3.8 billion for personnel costs.
The commission accused Adeyemi of using documents purportedly signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, to substantiate his claim to the position of director-general.
One of the counts alleged that he forged a letter dated March 8, 2024, with reference number SH/COS/209/A/3456, purportedly appointing him to head the council.
The prosecution said the letter was allegedly intended to make the appointment appear genuine and enable Adeyemi to occupy government office facilities at the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja.
Another count accused him of forging a letter addressed to the Accountant-General of the Federation, titled, “RE: REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF SELF-ACCOUNTING STATUS,” allegedly to enable the purported council to operate within the government’s financial reporting system.
The commission further alleged that Adeyemi forged correspondence addressed to the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency to obtain a domain name for the purported agency.
In addition to the alleged forgery, Adeyemi was accused of offering N210,000 to an Assistant Chief Technical Officer in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Aminu Abdullahi, to facilitate the allocation of office space without official authorisation.
He was also accused of offering N300,000 to an official in the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser to the President, Ogaba Harry, to facilitate the release of two official vehicles: a Prado SUV and a Land Cruiser SUV.
The prosecution further alleged that Adeyemi obtained N20 million from Oyekunle Gbenga, Managing Director of Divine Dopacy Nigeria Limited, under the guise of a project facilitation loan.
According to the commission, the money was connected to a purported N2.8 billion contract allegedly awarded by the “fictitious council” for the procurement of furniture and electronics and the refurbishment of the director-general’s official residence.
The alleged offences were committed between 2024 and 2026, according to the charges.
The prosecution said the charges violated provisions of the Penal Code, the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
Following Adeyemi’s plea, prosecution counsel, Fatima Bardi, urged the court to fix a date for trial to allow the commission to prove its allegations.
However, defence counsel, Ibrahim Angulu, made an oral application for bail, citing his client’s prolonged detention and health concerns.
Angulu told the court that Adeyemi had spent 155 days in detention and had obtained a medical report from the police clinic where he had been receiving treatment.
The trial judge, Halilu Yusuf, directed the defence counsel to file a formal bail application before the court could consider the request.
The judge adjourned the case until November 9 for the commencement of trial and possible hearing of the bail application.
The ICIR reports that the re-arraignment followed the withdrawal of the earlier charges by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, on October 12 for amendment and refiling before the FCT High Court.
Adeyemi had earlier been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on September 30 on an eight-count charge bordering on alleged forgery and impersonation.
The case reportedly followed a petition by Gbajabiamila to the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, and the State Security Service over the purported council and Adeyemi’s claim to be its director-general.
Police investigations reportedly uncovered correspondence between the purported agency and several ministries, departments and agencies of government.
Investigators also traced 34 bank accounts allegedly linked to the operation, including nine said to have been opened in the names of purported government agencies.
The investigation was also expected to examine the use of allegedly forged documents, the opening and operation of related bank accounts, the movement of funds and possible involvement of public officers or other individuals.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.