FG withdraws charges against alleged fake Presidential Council DG, files fresh case

The Federal Government has withdrawn the eight-count criminal charge filed against Adeniyi Adeyemi, the man accused of impersonating a presidential appointee and operating a fictitious government agency, following the discovery of legal and jurisdictional issues in the original case.

The government has, however, filed fresh charges against Adeyemi before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, paving the way for his re-arraignment over alleged forgery, impersonation and criminal conspiracy.

The Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, disclosed the development on Monday while appearing before Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Oyedepo, who represented the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, told the court that a review of the case file and the charge initially filed by the Inspector-General of Police had revealed loopholes requiring the prosecution to commence proceedings before a court with the appropriate jurisdiction.

He explained that the alleged offences involving documents purportedly forged by Adeyemi while operating the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) were triable by the FCT High Court rather than the Federal High Court.

The prosecution consequently applied for the existing charge to be struck out to enable the government to pursue the case before the appropriate court.

Defence counsel, Ibrahim Angulu, SAN, did not oppose the application, following which Justice Umar struck out the case.

The prosecution said Adeyemi would be arraigned afresh before the FCT High Court without delay. The decision to withdraw the original charge was to facilitate fresh proceedings and did not amount to an acquittal on the allegations.

Eight-count charge and alleged accomplices

The original charge, filed by police prosecutor Wisdom Madaki on November 27, 2025, was marked FHC/ABJ/CR/562/2025.

The Federal Republic of Nigeria was listed as the complainant, while Adeyemi, 38, and two other defendants identified only as Femi and Anu were named as the first, second and third defendants respectively.

The two co-defendants were reported to be of unknown whereabouts.

Adeyemi had been arraigned before Justice Umar on September 30, 2026, and pleaded not guilty to all eight counts bordering on alleged forgery, impersonation and related offences. The court subsequently ordered his remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.

The prosecution’s witness list included Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Paul Emmanuel; Jeremiah Imoukhede; Ituah Sylvester; Akimbo Shola; and DSP Adamu Balongu.

Other proposed witnesses included Ojo Victor, Omeh Amarachukwu and Wakili Saidu, who were allegedly assigned to work with Adeyemi at the purported agency, as well as Joy Ngwoke, owner of Kachi Hotel, Abuja, and Ven Okoriko, a pastor at St Matthew’s Anglican Church, Maitama.

The documentary evidence listed in the original case included a police investigation report, a petition by Gbajabiamila dated October 17, 2025, and an appointment letter dated March 8, 2024, allegedly used by Adeyemi to present himself as a presidential appointee.

Other documents included requests for diplomatic notes, approvals purportedly authorising the opening of accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), a request for self-accounting approval from the Accountant-General of the Federation, and documents relating to the purported agency’s take-off.

The prosecution also listed correspondence seeking collaboration on land acquisition and the establishment of offices across the 36 states, alongside witness statements, the defendant’s statement and photographs.

These materials formed part of the evidence listed in the original prosecution; the allegations are yet to be determined by a court.

How the alleged fake agency operated

The case centres on allegations that Adeyemi presented himself as the Director-General of PFIPC, an organisation the Presidency said had never been lawfully established by the Federal Government.

According to the investigation outlined by the Presidency and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Adeyemi allegedly used purported official documents to give the organisation the appearance of a legitimate government institution.

The alleged operation reportedly involved occupying office space at the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Abuja, and making representations to government institutions in the name of the purported council.

The Presidency said the Office of the Chief of Staff first raised concerns about individuals allegedly forging appointment letters purportedly issued from the office. In a statement issued on July 1, 2026, the State House said the matter had been referred to security agencies for investigation following complaints about the activities of the purported organisation.

The disputed appointment letter was said to have falsely attributed Adeyemi’s appointment to the Presidency.

Adeyemi, however, publicly challenged aspects of the official account and called for an investigation into the matter. The criminal allegations against him remain subject to judicial determination.

 Tinubu orders ICPC investigation

On July 7, 2026, President Bola Tinubu directed the ICPC to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the activities of PFIPC and submit its findings within 30 days.

The directive covered the alleged forgery of appointment letters and other official documents, claims of presidential appointment, attempts to obtain diplomatic assistance, and the reported opening of bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies.

The commission subsequently reported that its investigation found that Adeyemi had not been appointed by the Federal Government or any government authority and that PFIPC had not been established by law, executive order or another valid government instrument.

The ICPC also said documents allegedly used to support the purported agency’s operations, including the appointment letter, were forged. It recommended Adeyemi’s prosecution and called for sanctions against public officers found to have been complicit in any wrongdoing.

The investigation further examined how the purported agency gained access to government office facilities and how weaknesses in verification procedures and inter-agency oversight may have enabled its activities.

The commission stated that it found no evidence that Federal Government funds had been approved or disbursed to PFIPC or its operators.

House of Representatives probes controversy

The matter also attracted the attention of the House of Representatives, which constituted an ad hoc committee to investigate the alleged operation of the disputed council.

On July 29, 2026, the committee described Adeyemi’s purported appointment letter as fake.

It said the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, had also indicated during the inquiry that the documents presented by Adeyemi were not authentic.

In a subsequent report published on September 2, 2026, Channels Television reported that the committee found no documentary evidence that Gbajabiamila authorised, approved or participated in the activities of the purported organisation.

It said the evidence instead indicated that the Chief of Staff had taken steps to seek an investigation after the matter came to his attention.

The fresh prosecution before the FCT High Court is expected to determine the criminal allegations against Adeyemi and any other defendants brought before the court.

The case has raised questions about the verification of purported presidential appointments, access to government facilities and the safeguards intended to prevent individuals or groups from presenting fictitious organisations as legitimate government institutions.

However, Adeyemi remains entitled to the presumption of innocence unless and until the allegations against him are proved in court.