The investigation into the controversial Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council intensified on Wednesday as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission commenced interrogation of the alleged founder of the disputed agency, Adeniyi Adeyemi, inside police detention.

The PFIPC controversy erupted after allegations that Adeyemi presented himself as the Director-General of a presidential body that several government institutions said they neither created nor recognised, while questions were raised over alleged forged documents, bank accounts and the council’s inclusion in budget proposals.

Adeyemi’s questioning, however, came after an earlier attempt by the anti-graft agency to interview him was stalled when his new lawyer failed to appear at the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, where the suspect was being held.

ICPC operatives, who arrived at the facility around 10am, had prepared for the session but suspended the exercise to allow Adeyemi secure legal representation in line with his rights under criminal procedure.

The interrogation later commenced after his new lawyer arrived, but the session was not concluded as investigators continued probing allegations surrounding the creation, operations and claims of official recognition by the purported PFIPC.

The development came as the controversy widened, with the House of Representatives set to question top government officials, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu; and Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, over the council’s appearance in the 2026 budget and its alleged access to government facilities on Thursday (today).

Adeyemi grilled

A senior police source familiar with the investigation, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment on the matter, said the anti-graft agency rescheduled Adeyemi’s grilling session from 10am to 3pm on Wednesday to ensure compliance with the suspect’s right to legal representation.

“The ICPC earlier today (Wednesday) was at the Cybercrime Centre in an attempt to interview Adeyemi around 10am, but the interview could not hold after the set-up had been done because his lawyer was absent. That was why the interview was later fixed for 3pm,” the source said.

Another police source confirmed that the interrogation eventually commenced after Adeyemi’s lawyer arrived but noted that the session could not be concluded.

“His lawyer eventually came and he was later interrogated in the presence of his lawyer. They couldn’t conclude the questioning today and there’s the possibility of them continuing some other day, probably tomorrow (today),” the source said.

Under Nigeria’s criminal justice procedure, suspects undergoing formal interrogation by law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies are entitled to legal representation, and investigators typically defer questioning until counsels are present to safeguard the integrity of the process.

On Monday, the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, was at the headquarters of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission in Abuja.

Adeyemi, who was arrested last week, claimed that Gbajabiamila gave him an appointment letter for the role, adding that he gave money to the Chief of Staff to secure the job.

But the former House of Representatives Speaker has denied the allegations, filing a suit against Adeyemi. The Presidency has also said the council does not exist.

Gbajabiamila’s legal counsel, Jiti Ogunye of Jiti Ogunye Chambers, confirmed the Chief of Staff’s appearance in an official statement.

Ogunye said, “In full cooperation with the ICPC acting as directed by the President of Nigeria, I hereby confirm that my client, Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria, responded to the invitation of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and appeared at about 15:00hrs on Monday, July 20, 2026, as part of the ongoing investigation into the activities of the ‘PFIPC’ fake agency, among others.

“My client gave his testimony, responded to questions accordingly, and has returned to his duty post.”

Gbajabiamila’s appearance at the anti-graft agency comes weeks after President Bola Tinubu directed the ICPC to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the activities of the fictitious Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, which the Presidency said was never established by the Federal Government.

In a statement issued on July 7 by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu ordered the anti-corruption agency to investigate the activities of the fake council and submit a report within 30 days.

The Presidency said the investigation should cover the alleged use of forged appointment letters and official government documents by one Adeniyi Adeyemi, who allegedly presented himself as the Director-General of the non-existent council while falsely claiming to be a presidential appointee.

The probe also includes allegations that Adeyemi used the false claim to seek official recognition and diplomatic support, including visa facilitation, and allegedly opened multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies using forged documents.

Reps committee

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the controversial establishment and operations of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council is set to question several top government officials today over their alleged roles in the activities of the council and its inclusion in the 2026 Appropriation Act.

Among those expected to appear before the panel are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu; the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); the Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele; and the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi.

Others expected before the committee, chaired by Plateau lawmaker Yusuf Gagdi, include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Tanimu Yakubu; Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Aisha Rimi; officials of the National Economic Council Secretariat; as well as representatives of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.

The officials are expected to clarify their respective roles in the inclusion of the PFIPC in the 2026 budget estimates presented by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly, as well as issues surrounding the allocation of office accommodation to the council.

The latest hearing follows revelations by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Ahmed, who distanced the ministry from the activities of the council and questioned its legitimacy.

Ahmed told lawmakers that an individual identified as Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi approached the ministry on three occasions — June 26, 2025; August 5, 2025; and June 5, 2026 — introducing himself as the Director-General of both the Presidential Economic Advisory Council and the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council.

He said Adeyemi sought the ministry’s endorsement and collaboration to organise a World Investment Summit in Nigeria.

According to the Permanent Secretary, the ministry rejected the requests after conducting due diligence, citing inconsistencies in the correspondence and concerns over the authenticity of the council and its purported leadership.

Ahmed further disclosed that the ministry wrote to the Office of the National Security Adviser on October 16, 2025, seeking clarification on the status of the organisation and the identity of its alleged Director-General.

He said the NSA’s office replied on November 26, 2025, informing the ministry that inquiries made with both the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President showed that Prince Adeyemi was unknown to any Federal Government office.

The Permanent Secretary also told the committee that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had no involvement in any diplomatic engagement involving the PFIPC and did not facilitate meetings between the council and foreign governments, diplomatic missions, international organisations or prospective investors.

He added that no memorandum of understanding, treaty or investment agreement was negotiated or executed through the council, while no Nigerian diplomatic mission abroad was instructed to recognise or engage with it.

The committee also directed the Inspector-General of Police to produce two suspects reportedly arrested in connection with documents allegedly obtained from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, which purportedly approved the council’s participation in the federal budget process and granted a waiver for the deployment of about 300 personnel.

Akume is also expected to explain the circumstances surrounding the allocation of office space within Phase III of the Federal Secretariat complex, which was originally assigned to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in 2023 but was allegedly transferred to the PFIPC.

At Tuesday’s proceedings, Gagdi expressed dissatisfaction with the failure of several invited officials to honour the committee’s invitation, warning that the panel would invoke its constitutional powers to compel their appearance if they failed to attend the next sitting.

The investigation follows concerns over the alleged operation of the PFIPC as a government agency despite claims by several federal institutions that they neither established nor recognised it.

Lawmakers are seeking to determine how the council allegedly secured office accommodation, sought official recognition from government agencies and appeared in the 2026 budget proposals despite questions surrounding its legal status.

The outcome of the probe is expected to guide further legislative action as the House seeks to establish whether there were breaches of due process or abuse of public institutions in the operations of the council.

Atiku tackles Tinubu

Meanwhile, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar intensified the political dimension of the controversy, accusing the Tinubu administration of failing to provide clarity over conflicting explanations surrounding the operations of the alleged agency and demanding accountability from the government.

Atiku said the differing positions of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Central Bank of Nigeria over the opening of bank accounts linked to the PFIPC had raised serious questions about the handling of the matter.

In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice-president said President Bola Tinubu should either order an independent investigation into the controversy or take responsibility for resolving the issues.

He said, “This is where the cover-up appears to begin. One institution denied authorising the opening of the PFIPC accounts and alleged forgery. Another, before the representatives of the Nigerian people, stated that the accounts were opened on the directive of the Accountant-General after due process was followed. Both accounts cannot be true.”

Atiku argued that the conflicting accounts from the two government institutions had created a credibility crisis for the administration.

“When two of your most sensitive financial and monetary authorities publicly contradict each other on the same transaction, no serious leader needs a clairvoyant to know that his administration is trapped in a web of deception and a profound crisis of credibility.

“The President cannot continue to watch from the sidelines while his government tears itself apart with conflicting narratives,” he said.

The former Vice President challenged Tinubu to clarify which of the two official positions his administration recognised.

“President Tinubu must answer a simple question: which version does he believe — the Accountant-General’s or the Central Bank’s? If he believes neither, why has he not acted?” he asked.

He also criticised what he described as the silence of the Attorney-General of the Federation, saying it had further heightened public concerns over the controversy.

Atiku urged the National Assembly to invite the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to appear jointly before its investigative committee to explain the conflicting claims.

“The PFIPC scandal has ceased to be merely about disputed accounts. It has become a referendum on President Tinubu’s integrity and competence,” he said.

He maintained that the President could restore public confidence only by ensuring an independent investigation into the matter.

“President Tinubu owes Nigerians an unreserved apology for presiding over this unprecedented collapse of public accountability. If he cannot immediately restore public confidence through a genuinely independent investigation and ensure that everyone responsible is held to account, then he has forfeited the moral authority to continue in office. The honourable course is simple: apologise to Nigerians and resign,” he said. (The PUNCH, but headline reworked)

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