A police interim investigation report has revealed how operatives uncovered an alleged forgery and impersonation syndicate built around a fictitious government agency, known as the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, following a petition from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.

The report, titled “Police Interim Investigation Report: Activities of Fraudsters/Imposters Forging Official Appointment Letters Purportedly from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President,” detailed the investigation into alleged forged appointment letters and official documents used to create the impression that the PFIPC was a legitimate federal government agency.

According to the report, the investigation was initiated after the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President petitioned the Inspector-General of Police on October 17, 2025, over the activities of individuals allegedly forging official appointment letters purportedly issued from the office.

Police said preliminary findings showed that the forged documents contained falsified signatures, reference numbers, official seals and the Nigerian Coat of Arms, and were allegedly used to appoint individuals into the non-existent PFIPC.

Investigators identified the principal suspect as Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Mathew, who allegedly presented himself as the Director-General of the council and operated from an office within the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja.

The report stated that the suspect allegedly held meetings with Nigerians and foreign nationals while posing as the head of a government agency and also wrote to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting a Note Verbale to the United States Embassy to facilitate visa applications for individuals described as staff of the council.

Police said the suspect was arrested on October 27, 2025, at the office from which he allegedly operated.

Following his arrest, investigators executed search warrants at both the Federal Secretariat office and his residence in APC Quarters, Suleja, Niger State, recovering what they described as forged appointment letters, official letterheads, correspondence to Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, and other materials considered relevant to the investigation.

In his statement to investigators, the suspect allegedly claimed that one Dolapo Babatunde Tanimola assisted him in obtaining the purported appointment letter naming him Director-General of the PFIPC.

However, police said subsequent investigations established that Tanimola had died in a fire incident at Kachi Hotel, Utako, Abuja, before the suspect’s arrest.

According to the report, interviews with the deceased’s sister and the hotel proprietor, as well as information obtained from the National Hospital, Abuja, and St. Matthew’s Anglican Church, Maitama, corroborated the circumstances surrounding his death.

As part of the investigation, police also contacted the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to obtain a certified true copy of the purported appointment letter, while officials from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation were invited for questioning.

Three staff members posted from the Accountant-General’s office to the PFIPC office reportedly told investigators that although they had been posted there on August 28, 2025, they did not perform any official duties throughout the period.

Financial investigations conducted with the assistance of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, reportedly revealed that the suspect operated 34 active bank accounts across various commercial banks.

The report further alleged that nine of the accounts were opened in the names of entities presented as government agencies, while investigators also claimed the suspect opened an account with the Central Bank of Nigeria through the Office of the Accountant-General under the name of the PFIPC.

Police said investigations established that the PFIPC “is a fictitious and unrecognised entity that does not exist within any legal framework or government structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The report alleged that the suspect used forged documents to impersonate a federal government appointee, correspond with MDAs and conduct official engagements under the guise of the non-existent agency.

Investigators said the suspect’s actions could amount to offences, including criminal forgery, impersonation and obtaining by false pretence.

The report also named two other suspects, identified only as Femi and Anu, whose surnames were listed as unknown, as being at large.

Among its recommendations, the police proposed that all 34 bank accounts linked to the suspect be frozen, pending prosecution; that the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Office of the Accountant-General be notified to disable the account opened in the name of the PFIPC, and that the case be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions after pending forensic examinations and additional statements are completed.

The report noted, however, that at the time it was prepared, investigators were still awaiting the formal statement of the complainant’s representative and specimen signatures from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President for forensic comparison, indicating that the investigation remained ongoing.

Adeyemi writes open letter to Tinubu

Meanwhile, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to establish an independent, multi-stakeholder investigative panel to probe the controversy surrounding the alleged N1.3 billion budget insertion in the 2026 Appropriation Bill.

In an open letter dated July 13, 2026, and addressed to the President, Adeyemi commended Tinubu for directing the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged scandal, describing the directive as “a vital first step.”

However, he argued that the current investigative framework could undermine public confidence in the outcome, insisting that a broader and more independent inquiry was necessary.

“I write to you not as a fugitive evading accountability, but as a Nigerian citizen who maintains an unwavering belief in equity, justice, and the rule of law,” he stated.

Adeyemi contended that because the allegations involve institutions within the executive arm of government, an investigation conducted solely by agencies under the same government could face questions over impartiality.

He further alleged that concerns over his personal safety had prevented him from surrendering to authorities, claiming he had received credible intelligence suggesting his life was in danger if he appeared in an unmonitored environment.

According to him, the fears were reinforced by the reported death of Mr. Dolapo Tanimola, whom he described as a key intermediary in the matter.

Matthew questioned official reports that Tanimola died in a fire incident at Kachi Hotel in Utako, Abuja, alleging that there was no independent public verification of the incident.

He also claimed that the hotel was later demolished by unidentified armed persons, an action he alleged destroyed potential evidence linked to the investigation.

The claims contained in the letter have not been independently verified, and the relevant authorities had not publicly responded to the specific allegations as of the time of filing this report.

To ensure transparency and public confidence, he urged President Tinubu to establish an independent panel, comprising representatives of civil society organisations, the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, independent media organisations, international financial institutions, human rights groups, diplomatic missions, as well as the ICPC and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, serving as technical partners.

Specifically, he proposed the inclusion of organisations such as Amnesty International and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, alongside representatives of the United Nations, the African Union, ECOWAS, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Matthew maintained that he was prepared to provide documentary evidence and fully cooperate with investigators once such an independent panel was constituted.

“The moment this independent, multi-stakeholder panel is constituted, I will immediately step forward to present comprehensive documentation and verifiable evidence,” he said.

He added that expanding the investigation beyond conventional government agencies would strengthen public trust and demonstrate Nigeria’s commitment to accountability and transparent governance.

The Presidency has yet to issue an official response to the requests contained in the open letter. Meanwhile, the ICPC’s investigation into the alleged budget insertion remains ongoing (Vanguard)

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