Alleged Fake Agency: Court remands Adeyemi in Kuje Prison

The Federal High Court in Abuja has remanded Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi in the Kuje Correctional Centre after he pleaded not guilty to an eight-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.

Adeyemi, who is alleged to have presented himself as the Director-General of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), was arraigned on Wednesday before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar.

The case, initially filed by the Nigeria Police Force, was taken over by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, with the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, leading the prosecution.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to all eight counts after the charges were read to him.

Following his plea, Oyedepo told the court that Adeyemi had thereby put himself up for trial and urged that he be remanded in custody pending trial, citing his conduct before his arrest and arraignment.

Defence counsel, Genesis Francis, however, informed the court that he had filed and served the prosecution with an application seeking bail for his client.

Justice Umar subsequently ordered Adeyemi’s remand in the Kuje Correctional Centre and adjourned the matter until October 12, 2026, for trial and hearing of the bail application.

The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025, was filed against Adeyemi and two other persons identified as Femi and Anu, whose surnames are unknown and who are said to be at large.

The prosecution alleged that Adeyemi and his alleged accomplices conspired to forge an appointment letter purportedly issued by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and signed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

They were also accused of forging presidential letterhead papers and other documents purportedly emanating from the State House.

Other allegations include the forgery of requests for collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, provision of office space, approval of staff accounts and other official correspondences.

Adeyemi was further accused of falsely presenting himself between 2024 and 2025 as the Director-General of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

The prosecution alleged that the offences contravened provisions of the Miscellaneous Offences Act and the Penal Code.

The court had earlier ordered Adeyemi’s arrest after he failed to appear for arraignment on a previous adjourned date. He was subsequently arrested on the strength of the court’s order. Reports indicate that he had been in detention since July 14, 2026, following his arrest on a bench warrant.

The case followed a June 11, 2026 statement by the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President disowning the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council.

In the statement, Gbajabiamila said the organisation did not exist under the Tinubu administration and that his office had not appointed Adeyemi to any such position.

The statement advised members of the public, including foreign and diplomatic missions, financial and multilateral institutions, development organisations and security agencies, to take note of the disclaimer.

Adeyemi has denied the criminal allegations by pleading not guilty. The prosecution will now be required to establish its case against him at trial, while the defence will have the opportunity to challenge the allegations.

The case centres on the activities of an organisation styled the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) and Adeyemi’s alleged representation of himself as its Director-General.

The Presidency publicly disowned the organisation on June 11, 2026, with Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila stating that no such office existed under the administration and that his office had made no appointment of Adeyemi.

The criminal case was subsequently brought before the Federal High Court, where Adeyemi now faces eight counts relating principally to alleged conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.

The next stage of the proceedings is scheduled for October 12, when the court is expected to hear the bail application and proceed with the substantive case.