The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has explained why the alleged self-acclaimed Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), Prince Adeyemi Adeniyi, was not produced before the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the activities of the purported agency.

The explanation was contained in a letter to the committee, which was read on Wednesday by the panel’s chairman, Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau), after Adeniyi failed to appear before lawmakers as earlier directed.

Reading the letter, Gagdi said the police informed the committee that Adeniyi remains in custody over an ongoing criminal investigation bordering on conspiracy and forgery.

“We have a standing rule. We are mindful of it,” Gagdi said while explaining the contents of the IGP’s letter.

“The first leg of the investigation is conspiracy and forgery, which is what has taken the man into custody. We are a respecter of the principle of the separation of powers.”

The lawmaker said he decided to read the police correspondence publicly to dispel suggestions that the suspect simply ignored the committee’s summons.

“I decided to read the letter so that members of the press would not say the man failed to show up. We have proceedings and procedures,” he said.

According to Gagdi, the IGP stated that Adeniyi could not be brought before the committee because he is being held pursuant to a subsisting court order.

“The IG said the man is in custody because of a standing court order. He stated that the court remanded him, and that is why he is in custody. So, for him to be here, the court order has to be vacated before he can be brought to the National Assembly,” Gagdi explained.

He stressed that the committee would not interfere with either the police investigation or judicial proceedings.

“We cannot tamper with the ongoing investigation. We respect the good jobs the Inspector-General of Police, the Police, DSS, ICPC, EFCC and the National Security Adviser are doing, and we would not undermine the whole process,” he said.

Gagdi added that the committee would continue engaging the police and other relevant agencies as the investigation progresses.

“We will keep writing to you so that we have further reports and clarify grey areas. By next week, we can lay our report on the resumption of this case,” he added.

The House committee is investigating how the alleged PFIPC secured office space at the Federal Secretariat and received a ₦1.32 billion allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Act despite claims that it was never legally established as a government agency.

Adeniyi is also under police investigation over allegations of conspiracy, forgery and falsely presenting himself as the head of the purported council. (Vanguard)

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